PASAY CITY—The Senate ramped up its push for national modernization on Wednesday, February 11, centering on a massive overhaul of the country’s healthcare system. 

Lawmakers resumed deliberations on Senate Bill No. 1508, a landmark measure that empowers the Department of Health (DOH) to bypass bureaucratic bottlenecks and directly approve hospital upgrades. 

By allowing the DOH to increase bed capacities and service capabilities independently, the bill aims to eliminate the severe overcrowding and resource gaps that have long plagued state-run medical facilities across the islands.

In a parallel move toward long-term sustainability, Senator Loren Legarda delivered a high-impact privilege speech calling for a "recalibrated" economy focused on green growth. 

Warning that the nation’s debt ratio has breached critical thresholds, Legarda urged a shift away from traditional, infrastructure-heavy models toward an ecosystem-based development plan. 

She championed the enforcement of existing environmental laws and the creation of "green jobs" as essential tools to future-proof the Filipino workforce against economic instability and climate change.