Health Update: P-Noy says Phl economy grew by 7.6%, not 7.3%

P-Noy says Phl economy grew by 7.6%, not 7.3% | Home >> Other Sections >> Breaking News:

President Aquino said the big leap in the country's economy is the reason for higher budget allocations to the government's health and other basic services.

At the inauguration, the President also announced that the Department of Health's efforts to provide cheaper or discounted medicines to poor Philippine communities and improvement of public health facilities.

He said the administration has allocated P3.5 billion for the health Insurance Premiums for poor Filipinos, which will be distributed through the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Aquino said PhilHealth has approved a P350-million budget for the modernization of its information system.

The government is also widening the scope of the "Diskwento Caravan Project" which provides 5 percent to 75 percent discounts on unaffordable medicines.

He also announced that the government has allotted P7.1 billion to upgrade medical equipment and capability of public health facilities, including hospitals and rural health units.

More health workers, including nurses and doctors, are also being hired by the government because of more available financial resource and deployed to at least 400 rural centers around the country.

"President Benigno Aquino III today clarified that the country's economy grew by 7.6 percent, not 7.3 percent as earlier reported by Malacanang.

The President made the announcement at the inauguration of the new floors of Sta. Ana Hospital in Manila.

'Kahapon, binalita ng ating Secretary of Finance Cesar Purisima, natapos na po ang computation sa nilaki ng ekonomiya natin last year; nagkamali raw po kami noong sinabi naming 7.3 increase in GDP. Ang tama raw ho pala ay 7.6 ang increase ng GDP,' Aquino said in his speech.

The GDP growth is a big leap compared to 2009's 1.1 percent and the biggest in history after the Marcos era.

The President said that the higher growth record of the country under his administration belies his critics' claim that he is not doing anything to solve the country's bigger problems."