“I don’t know anyone to blame except me” says Former Health Secretary Romualdez on health gap

Alberto G. Romualdez joined former secretaries Jaime Galvez-Tan (under Ramos), Francisco Duque III (under Arroyo) and Esperanza Cabral (under Arroyo) for a frank discussion with journalists at a health reporting series hosted by the Phramaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines at Eastwood Richmonde Hotel in Quezon City on November 5, 2011. All were asked about their regrets and their advice for the current administration. 

Listen to Romualdez’s heavy words here. Note he was not alone as Esperanza Cabral said, “I really think what should happen is we all must accept blame. It doesn’t mean to say that no one is to blame. Everybody is to blame for the state that has happened to the health situation in the country and certainly that includes the health care providers, the doctors such as myself.”

Jaime Galvez-Tan was sorry that personnel who ran America’s Medicare also ran national insurer PhilHealth since he believed it resulted in PhilHealth not realizing its potential. 

All were forthcoming about admitting what regrets they had about their service. Tan said he focused too much on copying medicare, Duque said he should have been more aggressive.