Comments on: Voting for overseas Filipinos starts tomorrow http://www.quezon.ph/2007/04/13/politics-and-the-cult-of-the-market/ Punditry. Politics. History. Commentary. Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:35:33 +0000 hourly 1 By: Shaman of Malilipot http://www.quezon.ph/2007/04/13/politics-and-the-cult-of-the-market/comment-page-2/#comment-468358 Shaman of Malilipot Mon, 23 Apr 2007 14:37:02 +0000 http://www.quezon.ph/?p=1255#comment-468358 UPn, Any idea, including that of nursing98's, that gives health care high priority in the national budget is most welcome. UPn,

Any idea, including that of nursing98′s, that gives health care high priority in the national budget is most welcome.

]]> By: tonyFL http://www.quezon.ph/2007/04/13/politics-and-the-cult-of-the-market/comment-page-2/#comment-466599 tonyFL Fri, 20 Apr 2007 19:11:16 +0000 http://www.quezon.ph/?p=1255#comment-466599 The nurse98 proposal makes sense. If there is a law that specifies the budget-percent to be allocated for debt service, there should also be a law that specifies how much to go towards health infrastructure. The nurse98 proposal makes sense. If there is a law that specifies the budget-percent to be allocated for debt service, there should also be a law that specifies how much to go towards health infrastructure.

]]> By: UPn student http://www.quezon.ph/2007/04/13/politics-and-the-cult-of-the-market/comment-page-2/#comment-466447 UPn student Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:51:13 +0000 http://www.quezon.ph/?p=1255#comment-466447 baycas and Shaman... I just saw a post by nursing98 on the "mbautistamd.blogspot" site, and the idea makes better sense regarding health care delivery. She (or he?) was hoping for a PHILIPPINE HOSPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE law which obligates the government to provide a minimum level of public hospitals and clinics across the Philippines. And unlike Villar's MagnaCarta bill (which does not mention who pays for hospital operating costs), nurse98 wants it illegal if the government spends less than so many billion pesos a year for public hospitals/clinics operating costs. Also that the government should (be required by law to) build at least 20 new mini-hospitals a year for the next many years. baycas and Shaman… I just saw a post by nursing98 on the “mbautistamd.blogspot” site, and the idea makes better sense regarding health care delivery. She (or he?) was hoping for a PHILIPPINE HOSPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE law which obligates the government to provide a minimum level of public hospitals and clinics across the Philippines. And unlike Villar’s MagnaCarta bill (which does not mention who pays for hospital operating costs), nurse98 wants it illegal if the government spends less than so many billion pesos a year for public hospitals/clinics operating costs. Also that the government should (be required by law to) build at least 20 new mini-hospitals a year for the next many years.

]]> By: Shaman of Malilipot http://www.quezon.ph/2007/04/13/politics-and-the-cult-of-the-market/comment-page-2/#comment-464808 Shaman of Malilipot Wed, 18 Apr 2007 01:53:44 +0000 http://www.quezon.ph/?p=1255#comment-464808 UPn, Whether it's to "guarantee" or "endeavor", still the Government has the constitutional mandate to protect the citizens' lives by providing them, among other things, at the very least, basic (I'm not asking for "state-of-the-art") health care. The important thing is for the Government, and the taxpayers themselves, to recognize that health services should be high on the agenda. For how could people even start to improve the quality of their lives if the only outcome of sickness is certain death? Even in our families, medical care comes before anything else. Of course, it's unrealistic to expect the Philippines to have a health care system comparable to that of America's or Canada's overnight. But with health care given top priority, we will eventually get there. UPn,

Whether it’s to “guarantee” or “endeavor”, still the Government has the constitutional mandate to protect the citizens’ lives by providing them, among other things, at the very least, basic (I’m not asking for “state-of-the-art”) health care. The important thing is for the Government, and the taxpayers themselves, to recognize that health services should be high on the agenda. For how could people even start to improve the quality of their lives if the only outcome of sickness is certain death? Even in our families, medical care comes before anything else.

Of course, it’s unrealistic to expect the Philippines to have a health care system comparable to that of America’s or Canada’s overnight. But with health care given top priority, we will eventually get there.

]]> By: vic http://www.quezon.ph/2007/04/13/politics-and-the-cult-of-the-market/comment-page-2/#comment-464571 vic Tue, 17 Apr 2007 14:20:45 +0000 http://www.quezon.ph/?p=1255#comment-464571 The Provincial Government here has already prepared a program for giving accreditions to foreign graduates to qualify for license here and it has to sort this out with the Regulatory Body, the College of Medicine and Surgeons. And also we are addressing the shortages of medical staff in remote areas by accepting new immingrants on condition of settling for a specified time in those areas and give more incentives to some practitioners to relocate and requiring new graduates to do community services. we realized this problem that pretty soon the baby boomers will be a burden to our health care (i'm there in just a few years) as our seniors are covered 100% with the medical and universal pensions on top of their own plans. And if necessary my siblings can always come back here to practice. but I think they love the US, lower taxes, and they are still Canadians and still entitled to the health benefits after a few months of residency... again.... The Provincial Government here has already prepared a program for giving accreditions to foreign graduates to qualify for license here and it has to sort this out with the Regulatory Body, the College of Medicine and Surgeons.
And also we are addressing the shortages of medical staff in remote areas by accepting new immingrants on condition of settling for a specified time in those areas and give more incentives to some practitioners to relocate and requiring new graduates to do community services. we realized this problem that pretty soon the baby boomers will be a burden to our health care (i’m there in just a few years) as our seniors are covered 100% with the medical and universal pensions on top of their own plans. And if necessary my siblings can always come back here to practice. but I think they love the US, lower taxes, and they are still Canadians and still entitled to the health benefits after a few months of residency… again….

]]> By: UPn student http://www.quezon.ph/2007/04/13/politics-and-the-cult-of-the-market/comment-page-2/#comment-464562 UPn student Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:55:52 +0000 http://www.quezon.ph/?p=1255#comment-464562 By the way... that same report shows that the need for doctors in the United States is escalating. First, the baby boomers will need more medical services. Second, the doctors among the baby boomers are retiring. Third, the US economy still chugs along on its growth, so more $$$ gets available to spend on health services to 50-year-olds and younger. Expect increased importation of doctors into the US starting 2009 --- a Filipino doctor-turned-nurse who makes it into the US should do what's needed to get certified to pratice regular-MD-medicine in the US. By the way… that same report shows that the need for doctors in the United States is escalating. First, the baby boomers will need more medical services. Second, the doctors among the baby boomers are retiring. Third, the US economy still chugs along on its growth, so more $$$ gets available to spend on health services to 50-year-olds and younger. Expect increased importation of doctors into the US starting 2009 — a Filipino doctor-turned-nurse who makes it into the US should do what’s needed to get certified to pratice regular-MD-medicine in the US.

]]> By: UPn student http://www.quezon.ph/2007/04/13/politics-and-the-cult-of-the-market/comment-page-2/#comment-464553 UPn student Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:45:41 +0000 http://www.quezon.ph/?p=1255#comment-464553 vic... I believe that Filipinos (and Americans and Brits and Canadians) pay their taxes as specified in their different tax codes. Saudis, too (but there is no income tax in Saudi Arabia... nor Oman, nor Monaco). A report to World Health/Genava (presented last month) highlighted the DISTRIBUTION PROBLEM which is shared by Canada, the US, the Philippines, all countries. This report identifies that 85% of the hospitals/clinics/ health-professionals are in the urban areas which leaves practically-zilch health services provided to the Inuits in the Northern Territories, the American Indians in their reservations, the Ifugaos and the Maranaws and the people (be they poor or rich) who live far away from the cities. This same report also shows that the number of unemployed doctors and nurses who live in the cities is practically the same number of health professionals needed in the remote barrios/islands. vic… I believe that Filipinos (and Americans and Brits and Canadians) pay their taxes as specified in their different tax codes. Saudis, too (but there is no income tax in Saudi Arabia… nor Oman, nor Monaco).

A report to World Health/Genava (presented last month) highlighted the DISTRIBUTION PROBLEM which is shared by Canada, the US, the Philippines, all countries. This report identifies that 85% of the hospitals/clinics/ health-professionals are in the urban areas which leaves practically-zilch health services provided to the Inuits in the Northern Territories, the American Indians in their reservations, the Ifugaos and the Maranaws and the people (be they poor or rich) who live far away from the cities. This same report also shows that the number of unemployed doctors and nurses who live in the cities is practically the same number of health professionals needed in the remote barrios/islands.

]]> By: vic http://www.quezon.ph/2007/04/13/politics-and-the-cult-of-the-market/comment-page-2/#comment-464546 vic Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:28:08 +0000 http://www.quezon.ph/?p=1255#comment-464546 UPn, I only have one more question to ask here. Is everyone paying his/her fair share of taxes? The very reason why we, even with 1/10 of tax base compares to the U.S. (32 millions to 330) and lower per capita, we allocated a total of more than 60 % of our taxes to Health care and Education alone and we pay the highest rate of taxes among the first world economies and we pay them just as religiously as we enjoyed the benefits back. Of course we don't expect the Phil. to match the services of the developed countries, but take away the rampant corruptions, collect the taxes fairly and dispense them efficiently and I believe that there will be enough to provide the basic, the very basic health care and education to all... UPn,
I only have one more question to ask here. Is everyone paying his/her fair share of taxes? The very reason why we, even with 1/10 of tax base compares to the U.S. (32 millions to 330) and lower per capita, we allocated a total of more than 60 % of our taxes to Health care and Education alone and we pay the highest rate of taxes among the first world economies and we pay them just as religiously as we enjoyed the benefits back. Of course we don’t expect the Phil. to match the services of the developed countries, but take away the rampant corruptions, collect the taxes fairly and dispense them efficiently and I believe that there will be enough to provide the basic, the very basic health care and education to all…

]]> By: UPn student http://www.quezon.ph/2007/04/13/politics-and-the-cult-of-the-market/comment-page-2/#comment-464522 UPn student Tue, 17 Apr 2007 12:13:54 +0000 http://www.quezon.ph/?p=1255#comment-464522 Shaman... if one just sits down calmly and think about, one has to reach the conclusion that the Philippine Government, for the next 20 years does not collect enough in taxes to provide a health delivery system that matches the current capabilities of the US (15 in 100 Americans do not have health insurance coverage; 11 in 100 American children do not have health insurance coverage; US (among the "first world"/strong-economies countries) has one of the highest infant mortality rate). The first lesson (in my opinion) for any working-age person is to further improve their financial situations and set more pesos/dollars aside for future health needs. [I don't think GSIS- or SSS-benefit pesos were used when John Marzan underwent some medical procedures in the US, and the pesos not used for John becomes available for use by a farmer in Bukidnon]. A second lesson is to get people elected into Malacanang and the Congress who work towards the health-delivery/government economics that you believe in. I know you (as well as Candidate Doc Bautista) believe in reducing payments to the country's creditors. In contrast, GMA (and many of the presidential candidates for 2010) disagree. Even some newspaper columnists write that: “…Even the assassination of former Sen. Benigno Aquino did not immediately lead to Marcos’s downfall. What did, according to Gatmaitan, was the Philippine government’s decision in 1985 to declare a moratorium on its debt payments, which caused the value of the peso against the US dollar to plummet. The moratorium succeeded in making the economy grind to a halt. " Then hopefully you get the people into Malacanang/Congress who believe in your economic-prioritization, and that the people you get elected into the Congress then deliver on the promises that they made. Shaman… if one just sits down calmly and think about, one has to reach the conclusion that the Philippine Government, for the next 20 years does not collect enough in taxes to provide a health delivery system that matches the current capabilities of the US (15 in 100 Americans do not have health insurance coverage; 11 in 100 American children do not have health insurance coverage; US (among the “first world”/strong-economies countries) has one of the highest infant mortality rate).

The first lesson (in my opinion) for any working-age person is to further improve their financial situations and set more pesos/dollars aside for future health needs. [I don't think GSIS- or SSS-benefit pesos were used when John Marzan underwent some medical procedures in the US, and the pesos not used for John becomes available for use by a farmer in Bukidnon].

A second lesson is to get people elected into Malacanang and the Congress who work towards the health-delivery/government economics that you believe in. I know you (as well as Candidate Doc Bautista) believe in reducing payments to the country’s creditors. In contrast, GMA (and many of the presidential candidates for 2010) disagree. Even some newspaper columnists write that:

“…Even the assassination of former Sen. Benigno Aquino did not immediately lead to Marcos’s downfall. What did, according to Gatmaitan, was the Philippine government’s decision in 1985 to declare a moratorium on its debt payments, which caused the value of the peso against the US dollar to plummet. The moratorium succeeded in making the economy grind to a halt. ”

Then hopefully you get the people into Malacanang/Congress who believe in your economic-prioritization, and that the people you get elected into the Congress then deliver on the promises that they made.

]]> By: UPn student http://www.quezon.ph/2007/04/13/politics-and-the-cult-of-the-market/comment-page-2/#comment-464492 UPn student Tue, 17 Apr 2007 11:11:34 +0000 http://www.quezon.ph/?p=1255#comment-464492 Shaman... I've already posted what I saw in the 1987 Philippine Constitution about health care. I know you use the word "guarantee" and in contrast, the Constitution has the words "...SHALL ENDEAVOR to make essential goods, health and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost." Shaman… I’ve already posted what I saw in the 1987 Philippine Constitution about health care. I know you use the word “guarantee” and in contrast, the Constitution has the words “…SHALL ENDEAVOR to make essential goods, health and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost.”

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