07 October 2017
PRESS STATEMENT
Statement of the Commission on Human Rights on the passage of the Universal Health Coverage Bill
The Commission on Human Rights lauds the recent passage of House Bill No. 5784 or the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Bill, which aims to provide Filipino citizens with comprehensive health care and insurance.
This legislation provides equal opportunity for everyone to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health through an established system of health protection, a move towards reducing inequalities between classes in terms of access to health services.
As governments have an obligation to ensure its citizens to be as healthy as possible, many developing countries have proven that the provision of universal healthcare is an achievable goal. This development shows the administration’s strong political commitment in providing inexpensive and reliable healthcare for all.
The human right to health means that everyone has the right to the highest possible standard of physical and mental health, including adequate access to medical care, healthy food, clean water, sanitation, a clean environment, decent housing, and healthy working conditions.
It must be emphasized that accessibility, adaptability, and acceptability, among others, are three fundamental principles that must be observed in the implementation of the UHC bill to ensure that the right to health is attained and enjoyed by every Filipino. Accessibility means creating social protection programs that can be easy for people to understand, reach, and use regardless of varying factors; adaptability focuses on the accommodation of local context; while acceptability refers to being sensitive to the intersections that might arise from different identities and background among people.■
Contact Person:
Atty. Jacqueline Ann C. de Guia
Director, Public Affairs and Strategic Communication Office
Telephone No: (02) 928-5792 / 0977 284 0787
Email address: comms.chr@gmail.com