(File Photo/ Manila Bulletin)
The COVID-19 health emergency has been a wake-up call, laying bare human vulnerabilities. In the Philippines, where millions live below the poverty line, the highly infectious disease not only showed us the fragilities of our health systems but also worsened their state. With everyone still at the mercy of the pandemic, the burden health workers and frontliners carry grows heavier by the day.
The passing of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law from two years ago signaled hope for the sector. It amplified the efforts of the Department of Health (DOH) along with its attached agencies to provide Filipinos access to cost-effective, quality care. When the health crisis took place, the law was put to the test, emphasizing the need for more resilient healthcare in the Philippines.