LP senatorial candidate Risa Hontiveros speaks before youth, labor and LGBT sectors in Cebu. (CDN PHOTO/ JULI ANN SIBI)
LIBERAL Party senatorial aspirant and former PhilHealth director Risa Hontiveros discussed the ideals of slain hero Andres Bonifacio during a forum held to commemorate Bonifacio Day on Nov. 30.
“Bonifacio’s ideals were rooted in empowering locals, ordinary people so we are creating an area for us to air our concerns especially those related to the health sector,” Hontiveros said.
Hontiveros is lobbying for health care as her platform for next year’s elections.
The forum also saw groups from the youth, labor, LGBT and health sectors raise concerns such as lack of recognition of barangay health workers, the rising number of HIV/AIDS cases and the prevalence of cyber pornography in small towns like Cordova.
Hontiveros said the country’s health concerns can be addressed with better doctors, cheaper medicine, empowerment of barangay health workers and health education.
She discussed pending bills in Congress such as the Bibong Barangay Health Workers Program which grants better benefits to health workers, free hospitalization and better education for nurses and doctors.