NAGSANIB-PWERSA ang Tingog Party-list, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) at Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) upang matugunan ang kakulangan ng kinakailangang healthcare infrastructure sa mga rural areas.

Isang Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) ang nilagdaan para sa pagpapatupad ng “Maalagang Republika: Rural Financing Health Development Program” sa isang seremonya na ginanap sa DBP Amphitheater at dinaluhan ng mga prominenteng opisyal kabilang si House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.

Sa ilalim ng programa, ang mga local government units (LGU) ay maaaring mangutang sa DBP upang pondohan ang pagpapatayo o pagpapalawak ng kanilang healthcare facilities at sa modernisasyon nito.

Ang PhilHealth naman ang magbibigay ng operational support sa ilalim ng National Health Insurance Program, at ang Tingog Party-list ang makikipag-ugnayan sa mga LGU para mapaganda ang public healthcare services.

Ang Maalagang Republika Program ay makatutulong din umano upang maabot ang layunin ng Universal Health Care Act.

Dumalo sa event sina Michael O. De Jesus, President at CEO ng DBP; George S. Inocencio, Executive Vice President ng Development and Resiliency Sector ng DBP; Emmanuel R. Ledesma Jr., President at CEO ng PhilHealth; at Renato L. Limsico Jr., Senior Vice President ng Fund Management Sector ng PhilHealth.

Kasama naman ni Speaker Romualdez sa pagtitipon sina Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr., House Secretary General Reginald Velasco, at Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre.

Iginiit ni Speaker Romualdez ang potensyal ng programa na mapaganda ang serbisyong pangkalusugan lalo na sa mga lugar na malalayo sa sentro ng probinsya kasabay ng kanyang paggiit sa kahalagahan na mabigyan ng nararapat na serbisyong pangkalusugan ang bawat Pilipino.

Ikinuwento naman ni Rep. Acidre ang kanyang karanasan sa pagpapaganda ng imprastrakturang pangkalusugan.

“When we were conceptualizing the Samar Island Medical Center, which will soon become the first-ever tertiary hospital on the island of Samar, thanks to the legislative initiative of Speaker Romualdez and Tingog Party-list Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez, I was struck by how underserved our communities truly are. I remember thinking then: If Samar, one of the largest islands in the country, does not have a tertiary hospital, how many more island provinces and remote areas lack access to adequate hospital services? This is not just about inadequate social services—it’s about a longstanding social injustice,” sabi ni Rep. Acidre.

“This partnership we are formalizing today is a significant step toward addressing those gaps. With the lending program from DBP, local government units will now have the opportunity to upgrade and enhance their healthcare facilities. Whether it’s constructing new hospitals, modernizing existing ones, or acquiring cutting-edge equipment, this initiative is our way of empowering LGUs to take charge of their communities’ healthcare needs. But let me be clear—this is not just about infrastructure. This is about saving lives. It’s about ensuring that no child is born in unsafe conditions just because the nearest birthing facility is hours away. It’s about giving our healthcare workers the tools they need to deliver the care they are so passionate about. It’s about meeting our people where they are, especially in the farthest corners of the country,” dagdag pa nito.