We met online months before the filing of certificates of candidacies. He “waved” at me, and I “waved” back. He asked for time to meet with me, declaring his intent to run for the Senate. I said, yes. Despite all best intentions, the meeting never happened. Well, until last Saturday.
Doc Willie Ong and his wife, Doc Liza, were waiting for my coanchor, Fort Jose, and I, at the lobby of our radio station’s DWIZ 882 office in Pasig City. They were seated quietly, just a husband and wife team, no other members signifying even a skeletal entourage. I found their simplicity as a couple endearing.
In Doc Willie, I remember the simple, humble and most lovable Juan Flavier, the senator and doctor from the barrios. Sen. Flavier knew how to make fun of his height, and had a very loving and warm presence. He gave my father, the late Senate President and Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople, stern reminders to stop smoking. As Bulakenyos who came from humble beginnings, Flavier and Ople became the best of friends.
I happily note that the son of Ka Johnny Flavier, Dr. Jondi Flavier, is among Doc Willie’s endorsers. In a Facebook post, Jondi wrote: “We salute the efforts of our senators but we need more voices, [and] maybe another physician in the Senate to push for the health laws needed by our people. I would like to think that dad would say, ‘Let’s DOH it’ again. Mabuhay po kayo at manatiling matapang, Doc Willie!”
The first question I asked the 55-year old doctor as my guest on Global Pinoy on Saturday was, why the Senate? Why not run for a party-list as an entry point to Philippine politics? He replied that he has spent 25 years of his life as a doctor catering to poor patients, with an active media presence for 12 years and a four-year stint at the Department of Health (DOH) as a consultant. This long track record opened his eyes to the need for public health reforms, and the Senate was the best platform for that.
Doc Willie also draws inspiration from Malaysia’s strong leader, Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, who practiced medicine prior to joining the Malaysian parliament. It was the 93-year-old Malaysian prime minister who once said that doctors make for good politicians because they are focused on the health of the communities.
As a doctor, Doc Willie prides himself for his good listening skills. “I listen intently to the needs of my patients, and study their health concerns. As a doctor, I cannot be too emotional, otherwise I might prescribe more than is required.” It is that kind of mental discipline and rigor that the senatorial bet would like to offer to the people.
So what can a Doc Willie Ong contribute to the legislative agenda of the Senate?
He would like to strengthen the oversight functions of the Senate over public health spending and medical infrastructure development.
“As a doctor catering to poor patients, I know which medicines are still overpriced and beyond the financial capability of indigents.” He cited cancer drugs in the Philippines as being five times more expensive compared to the same brands in other countries. Doc Willie also noted that local medicines to treat depression are quite expensive. “We need to make it easier for patients, especially young people, to avail themselves of treatment for mental conditions such as depression.”
He also would like to push for a scholarship program for doctors in the barrios with a 50-50 sharing between the DOH and local governments. “If we relocate doctors from Metro Manila to the barrios, their services would likely be temporary. If we invest in scholarships for medical students from the most remote areas, they have higher chances of going back and serving their communities.”
He also mentioned the lack of drinking water, unbridled pollution, heavy traffic and unsafe food as contributing factors to poor public health. “There are children who die every day because they have no access to safe drinking water, while constantly exposed to unsafe food. Pollution is also a contributing factor to respiratory ailments, and the stress due to heavy traffic can cause heart attacks.”
Such quality of life issues will be high in the doctor’s agenda. “I cannot promise to have all kinds of solutions. I do promise that, in claiming a seat in the Senate, my primordial concern would always be the health needs of our poorest patients. Meanwhile, I have developed 1,700 videos on a variety of ailments and written 5,000 articles all uploaded and discoverable online, to help our people.”
Indeed, the doctor has 9 million followers on his Facebook page. Now, if only each of these followers get at least five members of their families and friends to vote for Doc Willie, then this good doctor may just be the surprise winning candidate of 2019.
Susan Ople heads the Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute, a nonprofit organization that deals with labor and migration issues. She also represents the OFW sector in the Inter-Agency
Council Against Trafficking.