Talumpati ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa Panata sa Bayan: Doctors to the Barrios (DTTB) Batch 43 Presidential Send-off

Thank you very much to our DOH Secretary, Secretary Ted Herbosa.

[Please take your seats.]

BARMM Minister of Health Kadil “Jojo” Sinolinding Jr.; our Doctors to the Barrios Batch 43; my fellow workers in government; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

Magandang araw sa inyong lahat. Welcome to Malacañan Palace.

It is an honor for me to stand before the Doctors to the Barrios (DTTB) Batch 43.

Kayo ang ilan sa pinakamahuhusay, matiyaga, at may malasakit na manggagamot ng ating bansa.

Hindi madali ang landas na inyong tinahak: naglaan kayo ng mahabang panahon sa pag-aaral, madalas kulang sa tulog, sakripisyo ang oras sa mahal sa buhay upang makapag-lingkod lamang sa inyong kapwa.

But today marks the beginning of another path that requires not just clinical skill, but presence, patience, and purpose. You will go where the needs are greatest, where systems are still beginning only now to catch up, where every decision that you make carries real weight and makes a real difference in people’s lives.

This deployment of this batch of doctors comes at a critical moment.

Access to healthcare in rural and geographically isolated areas remains heavily constrained by limited resources, by distance, and the absence of medical professionals.

Maraming komunidad pa rin ang umaasa sa iisang doktor sa kabila ng dami ng taong nangangailangan ng serbisyong medikal.

Ang ilan sa ating mga kababayan, kailangan pang bumiyahe ng ilang oras kahit may sakit na sila, gagastos sila nang malaki para sa pamasahe, at maghihintay nang matagal para makapagpakonsulta lamang ng manggagamot.

Dahil dito, sinabi ko sa DOH na tiyakin na makakapagpadala tayo ng mga doktor sa lahat ng munisipalidad, lalo na sa mga lugar na hindi madaling abutin at kulang ang serbisyong medikal.

Kasabay nito, nagbilin din ako na patibayin at palakasin ang regular na pagbisita ng mga health professional sa ating mga RHU.

Since the establishment of the Doctors to the Barrios Program in 1993, this program has deployed 3,000 – close to 3,000 – 2,993 physicians across the country.

Through the sustained implementation of this program, we have reached a historic milestone of Zero Doctorless Municipalities nationwide in 2025.

Today also marks a significant achievement. Because now, we have before us the largest single deployment in the program’s history, Batch 43 is composed of 290 physicians. [applause]

And it is an achievement but it is not our endpoint yet.

Hindi sapat na may doktor lamang sa isang lugar. Mahalaga ring matiyak ang tuloy-tuloy at madaling maabot na serbisyo na naibibigay sa ating mga kababayan.

More than just delivering healthcare, you are being deployed to help ensure that our people, especially those in the GIDAs, receive the services that they need.

For every Filipino, the goal is not just relief, but a health system that continues to serve them in the years to come.

Kapag maayos ang kalusugan ng ating mga kababayan sa komunidad, mas gumagaan ang buhay araw-araw.

Mas maraming bata ang lumalaking malusog at nakakapag-aral nang mabuti, at mas maraming magulang ang makakapaghanap-buhay nang walang iniindang karamdaman. At kapag malusog ang komunidad, mas nagiging produktibo ang mamamayan kaya’t mas malaki ang pagkakataong umangat ang pamayanan.

And that is why this Administration stands firmly behind our healthcare workers.

We continue to strengthen the National Health Workforce Support System. We will invest in your training, in your safety, and your well-being so that you might be able to continue to serve with excellence, to heal with care, and to lead with compassion.

Dalhin ninyo nawa ang husay, dangal, at tapang ng isang Pilipinong manggagamot saan man kayo magpupunta.

Habang kayo’y nagsisilbi sa iba’t ibang panig ng bansa, dalangin namin ang inyong kalusugan at kaligtasan, at ang patuloy na lakas ng loob sa bawat araw ng inyong paglilingkod.

Sa bawat Pilipinong maaabot ng serbisyong pangkalusugan at sa bawat pamilyang hindi na mangagamba tuwing may karamdaman—dito natin unti-unting hinuhubog ang Bagong Pilipinas: mas malusog ang pamumuhay at mas handa para sa kinabukasan.

Muli, maraming-maraming salamat.

Mabuhay ang mga Doctors to the Barrios!

Mabuhay ang Bagong Pilipinas! [applause]

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