Senator Win Gatchalian expressed strong support for the healthcare priorities outlined by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), highlighting initiatives that promise broader and more accessible public health services.

Gatchalian welcomed the President’s commitment to building more specialty centers across the country, a move aligned with the Regional Specialty Centers Act (RA 11959), which the senator co-authored. The law mandates the establishment of at least one specialty unit—such as cancer, heart, or kidney care—within Department of Health (DOH) hospitals in each region within five years.

He also lauded the President’s call to strengthen PhilHealth benefits and simplify access to medical assistance via the eGov app. “Pumunta ka lang sa isang public hospital, wala ka nang babayaran. ‘Yun talaga ang gusto nating ibigay sa ating mga kababayan,” Gatchalian emphasized.

The SONA cited PhilHealth’s expanded coverage, including free dialysis, heart surgery, cancer treatment, rehabilitation for persons with disabilities (PWDs), and nutrition support for malnourished children.