Villafuerte supports Marcos’ to-do list on agriculture, healthcare, tourism

By Billy Begas

Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte on Tuesday expressed support for the must-do list of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that he mentioned during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Villafuerte said “putting farm modernization plus productivity, public healthcare and tourism infrastructure, among others, on front and center” of the government will allow Marcos to achieve his target to raise economic growth to 6.5% to 8% from 2023 to 2028, and his ‘Bayan Bangon Muli’ presidential campaign promise to uplift the lives of all Filipinos.”

“Let us give a big hand to the President for being spot on in his first ever SONA in giving paramount attention to agriculture, health and tourism,” Villafuerte said.

Villafuerte also commended the plan of Marcos to build specialty hospitals across the country similar to those that were built by the Marcos Sr. administration like the Philippine Heart Center (PHC), National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI), Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) and Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP).

“Building such specialty hospitals in all regions is a home run for President BBM as this will ensure that ordinary Filipinos outside the national capital will have easier access to quality healthcare that they couldn’t otherwise afford, given the high cost of medical treatment and the lack of superior health facilities in the provinces,” Villafuerte added.

Marcos also asked for the legislation of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the vaccine institute.

Villafuerte also lauded Marcos’ plan to strengthen the healthcare system by improving the welfare of doctors, nurses, and other health workers and inviting drug companies to put up manufacturing plants in the country to bring down the price of medicines.

Marcos also called on the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) to prevent drug manufacturers from acting like cartels.