Newsroom Category: Healthcare

Gatchalian proposes magna carta for barangay health care workers

As the newly elected barangay officials assume their roles, Senator Win Gatchalian is now pushing for a magna carta for barangay health care workers (BHWs) to ensure the health and well-being of all communities.   He filed Senate Bill No. 1840 which recognizes the role of BHWs as community organizers, educators, and primary health care […]

Quiz PhilHealth on rollout of mental health packages

Ahead of the Senate budget briefing of the Department of Health (DOH) and its attached agencies, Senator Win Gatchalian said he will seek updates on the rollout of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) packages for mental health illnesses.   Gatchalian recalled that in a hearing by the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, PhilHealth […]

Gatchalian pushes for virology, vaccine institute amidst child immunization coverage woes

Amid the country’s persisting low child immunization coverage that increases the country’s risk of disease outbreaks, Senator Win Gatchalian continues his push for the creation of the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines.   The number of unvaccinated children dropped from 1 million in 2021 to 637,000 for those born in 2022. However, the […]

Regional specialty centers to increase access to specialized healthcare

Senator Win Gatchalian hailed the Senate’s third reading approval of the “Regional Specialty Centers Act,” a move that he says would increase Filipinos’ access to affordable and quality specialized healthcare services.   Senate Bill No. 2212, which Gatchalian co-authored and co-sponsored, seeks the establishment of specialty centers in Department of Health (DOH) hospitals in all […]

Create Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines

Amid the celebration of the World Immunization Week this last week of April, Senator Win Gatchalian continues his push to strengthen local vaccine development through the creation of the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines.   Gatchalian made his proposal in Senate Bill No. 941 or the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines […]

Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines pushed amid vaccine woes

Amid delays in the arrival of the COVID-19 bivalent vaccines in the country, Senator Win Gatchalian is pressing the need to boost local capacity on vaccine development through the creation of the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines (VIP).   The Health Department explained that the delay is due to the non-extension of the […]

Create PH Center for Disease Prevention and Control

Senator Win Gatchalian is pushing for the creation of a Center for Disease Prevention and Control, which will be at the forefront of government response during health crises similar to the COVID-19 pandemic.   “The current COVID-19 situation emphasizes the risks and highlights the need to improve preparedness, surveillance and response at local, national and […]

LGUs urged to ramp up immunization programs

Senator Win Gatchalian is urging local government units (LGUs) to ramp up their programs to increase immunization coverage and prevent the outbreak of vaccine-preventable diseases.   Gatchalian made this call as the Department of Health (DOH) reported that 1 million children in the Philippines under the age of one remain unvaccinated. The DOH added that […]