Cayetano welcomes SONA focus on health, education, urges action
July 30, 2025
Cayetano welcomes SONA focus on health, education, urges action
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday commended President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for delivering a blunt and honest assessment of the country's problems in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), especially in tackling urgent concerns such as healthcare, education, and government accountability.
"Unang-una, I like the tone. Y'ung blunt honesty. Noong araw, magyayabang ka sa SONA. Basically ang sinasabi ng mga dating presidente, babaha ng proyekto. [Pero] ngayon he was honest enough to say [na] y'ung mga proyekto na [ganyan] dahil palpak," the senator told reporters in an interview on July 28, 2025.
But the senator warned that the public should not settle for promises alone, especially when it comes to health reforms like the zero-balance billing program, which faces serious challenges on the ground.
"I'm basically happy with the tone and y'ung mga issues na naisama. Y'ung mga pinakaimportante [like] health, education, corruption, accountability, nabanggit. Now, the key is, even before the next SONA, by the end of the year, nasunod ba y'ung mga nabanggit today," he said.
Cayetano welcomed Marcos' plan to implement zero-balance billing in public hospitals. But he raised concerns that it might not work as expected because of ongoing disputes between hospitals and PhilHealth about which services are really covered.
"Y'ung zero billing, the reality is, away sa hospital y'an. Tignan natin kung mangyayari talaga. Pero kung mangyayari, maganda," he said.
In his SONA, Marcos said patients in Department of Health (DOH) hospitals will no longer have to pay for basic services and accommodations, with the government aiming to implement zero-balance billing across the country.
Funding for the initiative will come from multiple government sources, including PhilHealth, the Department of Health (DOH), the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
But Cayetano pointed out past problems with PhilHealth's budget, saying that even when government officials claimed there was sufficient funding, healthcare services never significantly improved.
"As usual, maganda lahat ng premise, tingnan natin sa dulo, sa conclusion, kung ganoon pa rin," he said.
"Iyang PhilHealth, may pera sila, may pondo riyan. Pero hindi naman gumaganda y'ung serbisyo. So now by emphasizing the zero billing, ang susi riyan, implementation," he added.
The senator emphasized that the current midterm period is a critical time for the administration to act before the nation becomes distracted by election season.
Cayetano filed several key bills in the 20th Congress to support the push for long-term health and education improvements. These include the "Super Health Centers in All Cities and Municipalities Act" and the "Health Centers in All Barangays Act," which aim to expand access to primary healthcare nationwide.
In the education sector, he is pushing for the creation of the Third Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM III) and the passage of the "Makakapagtapos Ako Act of 2025", a measure designed to remove all financial barriers preventing Filipinos from completing their education.
Cayetano, sang-ayon sa pagtutok ng SONA sa kalusugan at edukasyon, iginiit ang agarang aksyon
Pinuri ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sa pagiging tapat sa pagtalakay ng mga problema ng bansa sa kanyang ika-apat na State of the Nation Address (SONA), lalo na sa mga isyung kailangang agad matugunan gaya ng healthcare, edukasyon, at accountability ng gobyerno.
"Unang-una, I like the tone. Y'ung blunt honesty. Noong araw, magyayabang ka sa SONA. Basically ang sinasabi ng mga dating presidente, babaha ng proyekto. [Pero] ngayon he was honest enough to say [na] y'ung mga proyekto na [ganyan] dahil palpak," sabi ng senador sa isang interview nitong July 28, 2025.
Pero iginiit ng senador na hindi sapat ang puro pangako lang, lalo na pagdating sa reporma sa kalusugan gaya ng zero-balance billing program, na ayon sa kanya ay may mga kinakaharap na problema sa aktuwal na implementasyon.
"I'm basically happy with the tone and y'ung mga issues na naisama. Y'ung mga pinakaimportante [like] health, education, corruption, accountability, nabanggit. Now, the key is, even before the next SONA, by the end of the year, nasunod ba y'ung mga nabanggit today," sabi niya.
Nagustuhan ng senador ang plano ng Pangulo na ipatupad ang zero-balance billing sa mga pampublikong ospital kung saan hindi na kailangang magbayad ng pasyente para sa mga batayang serbisyo.
Pero ayon kay Cayetano, hindi ito ganoon kasimple dahil may mga hindi pagkakaintindihan pa rin sa pagitan ng PhilHealth at mga ospital tungkol sa kung ano ba talaga ang sakop ng serbisyo.
"Y'ung zero billing, the reality is, away sa hospital y'an. Tignan natin kung mangyayari talaga. Pero kung mangyayari, maganda," dagdag niya.
Sa kanyang talumpati, sinabi ni Marcos na sisikapin ng gobyerno na wala nang babayaran ang mga pasyente sa mga ospital ng Department of Health (DOH), lalo na sa mga batayang serbisyo at akomodasyon.
Ayon sa Pangulo, manggagaling ang pondo para sa programang ito sa iba't ibang ahensya ng gobyerno tulad ng PhilHealth, DOH, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), at Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
Ngunit pinaalalahanan ni Cayetano ang publiko na dati na ring sinabi ng PhilHealth na may sapat itong pondo pero hindi naman ramdam ang pagbuti ng serbisyo.
"As usual, maganda lahat ng premise, tingnan natin sa dulo, sa conclusion, kung ganoon pa rin," sabi ni Cayetano.
"Iyang PhilHealth, may pera sila, may pondo riyan. Pero hindi naman gumaganda y'ung serbisyo. So now by emphasizing the zero billing, ang susi riyan, implementation," dagdag niya.
Binigyang diin ng senador na mahalaga ang panahong ito -- kalagitnaan ng termino ng administrasyon -- para gawin na agad ang mga dapat gawin, bago pa muling maabala ang bansa sa panahon ng halalan.
Sa pagbubukas ng 20th congress, naghain si Cayetano ng mga panukalang batas sa para suportahan ang pangmatagalang reporma sa kalusugan at edukasyon.
Kabilang dito ang "Super Health Centers in All Cities and Municipalities Act" at ang "Health Centers in All Barangays Act" na layong palawakin ang access sa serbisyong medikal sa buong bansa.
Sa larangan naman ng edukasyon, isinusulong niya ang paglikha ng Third Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM III) at ang pagpasa ng "Makakapagtapos Ako Act of 2025", isang panukalang batas na layong alisin ang lahat ng financial burdens para makapagtapos ang bawat Pilipino ng pag-aaral.
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