SENATOR Juan Edgardo Angara on Friday said that Republic Act 11509 or Doktor Para sa Bayan Act will help provide Filipinos with access to specialized health care.

Under RA 11509, state-supported medical scholars are mandated to serve in public health institutions including the specialty hospitals after graduation.

As one of the co-authors of the law, Angara said the Doktor Para sa Bayan will serve as a long-term solution to the manpower issues of the country’s public health facilities.

However, Angara admitted that there is a need to produce more medical personnel, particularly specialists.

The senator also promised to push for the passage of a law that would give Filipinos, especially those living in remote areas, easier access to specialized health care.

Angara filed Senate Bill 93 as one of his priority legislations for the 19th Congress, which seeks to establish satellite specialty hospitals in provinces that are geographically isolated.

These specialty hospitals include the Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney and Transplant Institute and the Philippine Children’s Medical Center which are all operated by the Department of Health and are all situated in the National Capital Region.

“Sa aking pag-iikot sa mga tinatawag natin na specialty hospitals ay napansin ko na marami sa mga pasyente doon ay nanggaling pa sa mga malalayong lugar tulad ng Maguindanao at General Santos City. Napakalaking gastos ito para sa mga pasyente at sa kanilang mga kamag-anak na kailangan bumiyahe ng malayo para magpagamot,” Angara said.

“Marami pa tayong mga probinsya na talaga naman na underserved pagdating sa health services. Ito ang mga lugar na isolated sa kanilang mga regional tertiary care hospitals. Dahil dito ang panukala natin ay makapagpatayo ng specialty hospitals sa mga nakatayo nang mga ospital sa mga probinsyang ito,” he added.

Angara filed the same bill in the 18th Congress and now with the backing of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., he is optimistic the measure will have a better chance of being enacted into law.