Given the 1.8 million yearly increase in population, the country still largely ignores the health sector, coughing up about 3 percent of the public spending for health—a mere P3 for every P100 budget. Oscar Picazo, Philippines Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) senior health research consultant, told reporters that the country only designates “about 3 percent to 3.5 percent” of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the health sector, still below the World Health Organization`s (WHO) recommended 5-percent GDP allotment for health. Rafaelita Aldaba, PIDS Vice President, said that emerging countries like Brazil invest 7percent to 8 percent of their public spending in educational training and health. Meanwhile, Irma Asuncion, Department of Health (DOH) director for the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control, said that they are on their way to achieve the 5-percent GDP allotment in the health sector, possibly under the “leadership of Health Secretary Enrique Ona.” “Hopefully under the leadership of Secretary Ona, because I think he has been successful in really negotiating the increase in the budget,” Asuncion said.
