MANILA — A free medicines and free medical treatment bill. This is what senatorial candidate Alyn Andamo, a registered nurse and Secretary General of Filipino Nurses United, will push for if she wins in the upcoming midterm elections.

Andamo was interviewed on ABS-CBN’s Harapan 2025 on Tuesday wherein she described the country’s healthcare system as "dying".

“Ang healthcare system natin kasi… naghihingalo, kasi highly privatized and commercialized,” Andamo said. “Kailangan meron tayong libreng gamot at pagpapagamot.”

“Ibig sabihin nito, sa lahat ng ating public healthcare facilities, dapat pagpasok ng kahit na sino mang mamamayang Pilipino, may libreng gamot siyang makukuha o libreng pagpapagamot, medical check-up, libreng laboratory at diagnostic procedures, at iba pang mga life-saving procedures and medicines and support na kailangan ng ating mga kababayan sa kahit na anong sulok ng ating bansa, lalong-lalo na sa ating mga barrios,” she said.

Andamo, who is part of the Makabayan Coalition, said healthcare is not accessible to all and the assistance from the The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is not enough.  

She also wants the removal of value added tax on medicines to lower the prices. A long-term solution, however, is to develop the country’s own pharmaceutical industry.

“Sa ngayon kasi ay masyado tayong dependent sa mga imported at saka dominated ang ating pharmaceutical industry ng mga multinational companies. So napakamahal talaga ng gamot natin. Pero ayon sa ating mga siyentista, mayaman tayo sa ating flora and fauna. So kailangan na i-prioritize yung ating research and development, bigyan ng budget para magpaunlad ang ating pharmaceutica,” she explained.

Andamo also advocates for a P50,000 entry salary for nurses and allied health professionals in public and private health facilities who currently earn only P8,000 to P15,000 a month.

“Sobrang liit ng sahod na ang nangyayari, mas naitutulak natin ang mga nurses na lumabas ng bansa dahil they have, gusto nila mag-seek ng better pay, better opportunities, na hindi naman natin sila sinisisi. So ang ating panawagan sa gobyerno, bigyan ng pagpapahalaga ang contribution ng nurses sa ating kalusugan at siyempre sa kabuuang nation building,” Andamo said.

She said she is against the privatization of public healthcare.

“Dapat ang gobyerno po ang nag-popondo ng ating public healthcare para siguradong ang serbisyo, gamutan at anomang equipment na irerender natin, serbisyo sa ating mga tao ay libre po dahil ang health ay basic na karapatan at obligasyon primarily po ng ating pamahalaan.”

Andamo shared she chose to stay in the Philippines instead of working abroad because she saw a greater purpose.

“Kung mayroon kang pangangailangan sa pamilya, may higit na nangangailangan, ang mga tao, sa probinsya lalo na iniisip nila saan sila kukuha ng susunod na kakainin,” Andamo said. “So sabi ko baka mayroon akong mas mai-contribute sa ating bansa kung dito ako maglilingkod sa bayan natin.”

Having been in the medical profession for years, she witnessed the slow improvement in the health sector.

“Ang nakakalungkot pa nga at kung minsan nakakagalit, ay yung pagtindi ng krisis sa kalusugan,” she said. “Marami pa rin sa ating mga kababayan ang hindi nakakakita man lang ng nurse o doktor, na sila ay namatay o lumala ang pagkakasakit. So ibig sahihin, malaki ang pangangailangan sa kalusugan na hindi natutugunan ng pamahalaan.”

“Sana ay may magawa tayong paraan,” Andamo continued as she vowed to prioritize public service, especially when it comes to health.