Reinforcing the State’s commitment to preventive healthcare and universal access to essential health services, the Senate approved on third and final reading two major health measures with Senator Camille Villar among the principal authors and co-authors.
“Preventive care and early intervention reduce suffering, lower long-term costs, and save lives,” Villar said.
“These measures ensure that quality healthcare is not a privilege, but a right—accessible to every Filipino, regardless of age or condition.”
“These measures ensure that quality healthcare is not a privilege, but a right—accessible to every Filipino, regardless of age or condition,” the youngest senator of the 20th Congress added.
The passage of both highlights the importance of shifting toward a more proactive and inclusive health system.
One of the measures, Senate Bill No. 1509 or the “Philippine Geriatric Center Act,” establishes the Philippine Geriatric Center (PGC) as a tertiary specialty hospital under the Department of Health (DOH).
The legislator is among the authors of the bill, which seeks to institutionalize a comprehensive, integrated, and sustainable geriatric care system for senior citizens and the aging population, particularly the poor, indigent, and those living with chronic and complex health conditions.
The proposed Philippine Geriatric Center will provide specialized medical, diagnostic, rehabilitative, wellness, long-term, and palliative care services designed specifically for older persons. It will also serve as a national hub for geriatric research, training of healthcare professionals, and the development of standards for age-friendly and people-centered healthcare facilities, fully integrated within the Universal Health Care framework.
Also approved on third reading was the “Comprehensive Lupus Prevention Act” which institutes a national health program to combat Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
Also approved on third reading was the “Comprehensive Lupus Prevention Act,” a measure co-authored by the lawmaker, which institutes a national health program to combat Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
The bill mandates the DOH to implement a comprehensive and nationwide program for lupus prevention, early detection, treatment, and rehabilitation, while promoting public awareness and protecting the rights and welfare of persons living with the disease.
Under the measure, a Center for Lupus and Autoimmune Diseases will be established as the national technical and referral center for SLE and other autoimmune conditions.
The bill also provides for mandatory training of healthcare providers, the creation of an information and monitoring system on lupus cases, inclusion of early detection and screening in PhilHealth benefit packages, and the annual observance of National Lupus Awareness Week every first week of May.
