MAKATI City government is looking at the brighter side of the Supreme Court ruling which stripped them of its 10 Enlisted Men’s Barrio (EMBO) barangays to Taguig City.
In a statement, Mayor Abigail Binay said that the city government is allotting less for this year’s social development program – savings of which she added will be diverted to other equally important health services.
Based on the city’s approved 2024 budget, Makati earmarked P9.19 billion for the city’s social development sector, which is almost half of the P19.70-billion budget for this year.
While Binay admits that the SC ruling effectively translated to P700 reduction in the National Tax Allotment, she explained that the huge allocation for the city’s social development sector was made possible with the transfer of 10 EMBO barangays to Taguig City.
“I want to assure Makatizens that our commitment to social services remains unwavering. We are fortunate to have a stable and flourishing economy, and we recognize the importance of utilizing our resources wisely to enhance the overall well-being of residents and foster a more inclusive and equitable society,” she said.
The local chief executive emphasized the city’s dedication to transparent and accountable use of public funds, reassuring residents that every peso will be maximized for the benefit of residents.
This year, the local government will add the anti-shingles vaccine to its list of covered vaccinations, aiming to enhance the overall health and well-being of residents aged 19 and above. The vaccine’s cost ranges from P8,000 to P10,000, but it will be provided at no cost to Yellow Card holders.
Based on the approved 2024 budget, Health received the largest share among the social development sub-sectors, with P4,136,000,000 (45%), followed by Education with P3,253,038,000 (35%), and Social Welfare, P1,810,718,000 (20%).
For this year, Binay said the city has earmarked P2.36 billion for the Ospital ng Makati (OsMak), P1.71 billion for the Makati Health Department (MHD), and P54.38 million for the Veterinary Services Department.
Health programs covered by this year’s budget include the MHD’s Primary Health Care Management (P1.04 billion) and OsMak’s Patient’s Care Program (P1.29 billion).
In Makati, Yellow Card holders can avail themselves of free outpatient consultation, subsidized hospitalization, and diagnostic tests at OsMak and Makati Life Medical Center, primary health care needs in barangay health centers, free dental services, free dialysis, prenatal checkups, Baby Makatizen bags, newborn screening and hearing tests, vaccines, and medicines, including maintenance medications for hypertension, diabetes, and other lifestyle diseases.
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