According to Akbayan Chairperson Risa Hontiveros, the health
festival was their way of highlighting the need to pursue health
reforms alongside other key reforms currently being instituted.
Health reform essential component of anti-corruption drive
“Health reform is part of the daang matuwid. The most visible
proof of government mismanagement and corruption are underfunded
hospitals, outdated medical facilities, and lack of public
investment in healthcare in general. Corruption made our people
sick,” Hontiveros said.  Hontiveros said one way to ensure that
the dividends generated by the people’s reform campaign in
government are felt by the public is by ensuring that health
services are accessible to them.  “Whether they go to a private
or government hospital, they can rest assured that they will
receive proper medical attention without worrying how to pay for
it because a universal healthcare program will lay down the
mechanism for financing health services,” Hontiveros said.  The
former partylist lawmaker