Unang Balita is the news segment of GMA Network's daily morning program, Unang Hirit. It's anchored by Arnold Clavio, Susan Enriquez, Ivan Mayrina, and Mariz Umali, and airs on GMA-7 Mondays to Fridays at 5:30 AM (PHL Time). For more videos from Unang Balita, visit http://www.gmanetwork.com/unangbalita.
#GMAIntegratedNews #GMANetwork #KapusoStream
Breaking news and stories from the Philippines and abroad:
GMA Integrated News Portal: http://www.gmanews.tv
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gmanews
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gmanews
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gmanews
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gmanews
GMA Network Kapuso programs on GMA Pinoy TV: https://gmapinoytv.com/subscribe
#GMAIntegratedNews #GMANetwork #KapusoStream
Breaking news and stories from the Philippines and abroad:
GMA Integrated News Portal: http://www.gmanews.tv
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gmanews
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gmanews
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gmanews
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gmanews
GMA Network Kapuso programs on GMA Pinoy TV: https://gmapinoytv.com/subscribe
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Kapuso, there is no need for a purchase booklet to get a 20 percent discount for senior citizens on the medicines they are buying.
00:08And regarding that and other issues, we will talk this morning with Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo, spokesperson of the Department of Health.
00:16Doc, good morning. Welcome to Unang Balita.
00:19Good morning, Ivan, and good morning to all Kapuso who are listening and watching.
00:24Doc, when buying medicines, what do senior citizens need to show so that they can still get a 20 percent discount?
00:32Yes, there are only two documents that our senior citizens need to show.
00:37First is the valid ID, the senior card or any ID, national ID that we have on our birthday.
00:45That is the first. The second is the prescription of our doctor.
00:49There is no need to show a purchase booklet.
00:52Doc, there used to be a purchase booklet to track the medicines you are buying.
00:57What is your alternative now that you don't need to show a purchase booklet
01:03just to make sure that you are not buying too many medicines or not to abuse the senior citizen discount?
01:09Yes. With a prescription of a doctor, we are writing down how many capsules or tablets should be dispensed.
01:18You will see a hashtag sign on our prescription.
01:23When pharmacies see that, and that is what is written on the AEO that we issued,
01:28they should reduce it by putting a strike and writing down the balance.
01:33That means that if the prescription is used repeatedly to buy, it should be reduced to zero.
01:40Okay. So that is the alternative.
01:42In your opinion, there is nothing that you will not abuse?
01:49To be honest, Ivan, even though the booklet is being abused, we can see that observation.
01:55Like we said, compared to the booklet, there are more things that we don't want to do that are bad,
02:01but we are being persuaded not to do it because it is hard.
02:04Risk-benefit analysis. There are more things that can be improved.
02:07Let's just look at the prescription.
02:09It would be better if there is a centralized database.
02:12Do we have this to track all transactions of senior citizen purchases?
02:17That is a good point. It also depends on the drugstore.
02:21The big ones usually have it.
02:23From personal experience, when I go to Sukiyang,
02:26they have it. When I enter my mother's name, I can see the previous purchases.
02:30We know that our fellow drugstores that are smaller will say that
02:36because it is different when the drugstore is bigger than the small one.
02:39Our answer is that is what the DOH is doing along with the health information systems.
02:45But let's not pass on to our elders the duty to make a database because that is what happened in the booklet.
02:53Yes. What's important is their health.
02:57Doc, I'm curious about the subsidy of PhilHealth. Is it still zero subsidy in 2025?
03:04What is your update on this?
03:05We don't have an update yet.
03:07The only thing we know is the Bicam report that will be signed by the President in a few days.
03:16Let's see what will be the decision of the government.
03:20But what we always say, with or without subsidy, PhilHealth has an approved budget.
03:25PhilHealth's budget is Php 284 billion for 2025.
03:30It is fake news when someone says that PhilHealth has no money and no budget because it has money.
03:36That is the concern of the members.
03:38If PhilHealth has zero subsidy for 2025, the benefits might be affected.
03:43That is not true because what happened in the past 3-4 years,
03:49the government is paying premium because it is health insurance.
03:55The premium that is being paid has a surplus left because it cannot be used completely.
04:00The surplus that is left is not yet held by our contribution.
04:05The contributors are not getting it.
04:08The surplus is the one that accumulated.
04:10Now, it has reached Php 150 billion.
04:14So there is really a use for it, with or without subsidy.
04:17Okay.
04:18We have more, Doc.
04:19Later tonight, it will be Noche Buena.
04:21Here we go again.
04:22A few reminders for our listeners for the next food and drink.
04:27Yes, we have a reminder for DOH.
04:29It is quick and easy to remember.
04:31The name of our secret is SECTED.
04:33As you can see, SECTED is healthy, right?
04:36T-E-D.
04:37T stands for Tamang Pagkain.
04:39When you say Tamang Pagkain, it means to avoid or reduce the foods that are unhealthy.
04:43What are the foods that are unhealthy?
04:44Salty, sweet, and fatty.
04:47Those are the delicious foods.
04:49That's what the table is for, Doc.
04:52Yes, that's what the table is for.
04:54So our plate should have half of fruits and vegetables,
04:57one-fourth of carbohydrates or rice and pancit,
05:01and one-fourth of lechon, ham, etc.
05:04The letter E is exercise.
05:06So we move around so that we don't burn fast.
05:09And the letter D is body discipline.
05:12Don't drink.
05:13Don't drink less.
05:14And sleep for 6 to 8 hours.
05:17Especially now that there's a lot of stress.
05:21Doc, some people have medicine.
05:24Is that allowed?
05:26Yes, there's medicine.
05:27But if we drink medicine for stroke or heart attack,
05:31that's the last resort.
05:32Or for high-blood medicine,
05:34we can't do daily maintenance.
05:36It's better to follow the right diet, exercise, and body discipline.
05:40Doc, the new year is just around the corner.
05:43Did you add anything?
05:44Maybe we have a 6 a.m. update from 17 firecracker-related injuries.
05:49I'm waiting for the latest update.
05:51It hasn't come to me yet.
05:52But based on yesterday's report,
05:54we recorded 17.
05:56This is higher than the 6 that were recorded in a similar period last year.
06:01So we noticed that it's okay for us to repeat the reminder
06:07that we shouldn't hold firecrackers.
06:09Community fireworks are better.
06:11It's time for the captains and mayors to get to know each other.
06:14There's no problem in getting to know each other
06:16if this will save our countrymen's Christmas.
06:19Doc, for the next few days,
06:21we will continue to remind you
06:23to join us again
06:26in our hearts that we shouldn't hold firecrackers.
06:29No problem, Ivan.
06:30It will help save lives, hands, and fingers.
06:34Thank you very much,
06:35DOH Spokesperson Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo.
06:39Merry Christmas.
06:40Merry Christmas, sir.