Vote Pilipinas

VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

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6. ONG, DOC WILLIE

AKSYON DEMOKRATIKO

Doc Willie Ong, 58, is an internal medicine specialist, cardiologist, author and medical commentator who gained popularity primarily through social media where he offers medical and healthcare-related advice.

Ong also briefly served as a Department of Health consultant. He left ABS-CBN’s Salamat Doc in 2018 to run for the Senate, running a campaign backed by his substantial online presence and strong support from migrant Filipino workers. For a neophyte candidate, Ong placed a surprisingly high 18th place in the polls with 7.6 million votes.

He has been supportive of the COVID-19 vaccines’ efficacy, a contrast to his vocal opposition to the dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia. The involvement of high-profile figures like Ong in the propagation of unsubstantiated stories about the Dengvaxia controversy may have caused vaccine hesitancy during that period that stretches on until the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to critics. Ong maintains his stance that there is no conflict between his beliefs, arguing that Dengvaxia is different from the COVID-19 vaccines.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso chose Ong as running mate in the 2022 elections for his medical background and expertise. Ong is advocating for health system reform, including improved support for health infrastructure.

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Platform and Policy

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The candidate's top priorities if elected to office, tracked against previous promises and accomplishments, if any

Select a policy profile below to view more details

Health

COVID-19 response

Related Policy Proposal:

Establish a cancer center, with free treatment for indigent patients and a hospice for recovering patients
Upgrade 16 regional hospitals
Increase support for the National Center for Mental Health
Urged other local government units to emulate the city government of running mate Domagoso and order anti-COVID medicines themselves
All public hospitals to have a heart center, a dialysis center, a lung center and kidney center,
Additional Philippine Health Insurance Corp. budget and expanded outpatient coverage

Previous Platform:
In his 2019 campaign:

Urged for easier and cheaper access to medicine, treatment and medical advice, including free maintenance medicine, laboratory tests and medical check-ups
Open to legalizing medical marijuana
Vowed to champion the Universal Health Care Law, expanding the scope to give free check-ups to the poor

Track Record / Accomplishment; Date:

Gave out free medical advice on social media from experience as a healthcare worker and COVID-19 patient himself.
Spoke on the importance of looking after mental health while in isolation due to COVID-19 transmission
Urged national government to place advance orders for 50,000 courses of novel COVID-19 antiviral pill Paxlovid

Deviation from Previous Platform:

Related Policy Proposal:

Free testing
Better pay for health workers
Additional P100 million funding for hospitals for poor patients
More hospitals, including field hospitals
Improved data to better reflect actual utilization of hospitals and other health facilities
Appoint a doctor to head the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases
Simplified quarantine categories: only ECQ, modified ECQ, general CQ
More “calm” pandemic response spokesperson
Faster distribution of 2nd generation COVID-19 vaccines

Previous Platform:

Track Record / Accomplishment; Date:

Deviation from Previous Platform:

Major Accomplishments

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The candidate's top five accomplishments and contributions for the last 15 years or so

Public Office

Ong was a consultant with the DOH from 2010 to 2014.

Private Sector

Ong worked as an internal medicine specialist and cardiologist while building his mainstream and social media presence as a doler of free medical advice. He is also an author, and his Medicine Blue Book, which was first published 1995, is among the best-selling local medical books.

Ong also created the Co Tec Tai Medical Museum in Pasay City, the first medical museum in the country.

Online medical advice and health tip provider

Position/Date
Author, Medicine Blue Book,Columnist
Columnist, The Philippine Star and Pilipino Star Ngayon

Status

Actions and/or Proceedings

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Actions and/or proceedings pending against or resolved in courts or tribunals involving the candidate, based on publicly available information

There is no publicly available information on this matter at this time. Requested information from the candidate was not provided.

Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth

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Also known as SALN, this document is a declaration of one's personal finances. Philippine Law requires the SALN to be submitted by all public officials and employees to the Ombudsman. Public officials and employees may opt to voluntarily disclose their SALN to the public.

Since he has not held an official government position outside of consultancy posts with the Department of Health, Ong is not required to disclose his Statement of Assets Liabilities and Net Worth per the latest rules set by the Civil Service Commission

Campaign Details

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Key details about the candidate's campaign

Campaign Manager:

Alliances and Endorsements:

Running mate of presidential candidate Isko Moreno Domagoso

Party History:

Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats

2019 senatorial campaign

Aksyon Demokratiko

2021 to present

Major Donors

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Candidate's major donors and campaign funding sources

There is no publicly available information on this matter at this time. Requested information from the candidate was not provided.

Major Advocacies

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The candidate's top advocacies in the last 15 years or so

Pro COVID-19 vaccine; Anti-Dengvaxia vaccine

Refusal of campaign donations and funding

Free medical treatment for poor communities

Pro COVID-19 vaccine; Anti-Dengvaxia vaccine

Supports COVID-19 vaccine but opposed Dengvaxia vaccine for individuals who had not been previously infected with the dengue virus

Position/Date
Pro-COVID-19 vaccine in 2021 - present
Anti-Dengvaxia vaccine in 2017 - present

Status
Ongoing

Refusal of campaign donations and funding during his 2019 senatorial bid, to avoid being beholden to donors

Claimed to have refused campaign donations and funding during his 2019 senatorial bid, to avoid being beholden to donors

Position/Date
Senatorial candidate, 2019

Status
Lost in 2019 elections

Free medical treatment for poor communities via medical missions, including at the Pasay Volunteer Charity Health Center

Position/Date
Volunteers as doctor

Status
Ongoing

Personal Details

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Basic information on the candidate's family, background and work experience

Name to appear on the ballot: ONG, DOC WILLIE

Full Name: Willie Tan Ong

Birthdate: Oct. 24, 1963 (58 years old as of election day)

Birthplace: Tondo, Manila City

Residence:

Religion:

Languages Spoken: English, Filipino

Parents:

Siblings:

Marital Status: Married in 1993, Anna Liza Ramoso-Ong, physician

Children: Two daughters

Education:

•B.S. Botany, University of the Philippines-Diliman

•Medical degree, De La Salle Health Science Institute

•Masters in Public Health, UP - Manila

Work Experience:

•Chief Fellow, Cardiology Fellowship, UP - Philippine General Hospital

•Chief resident, Manila Doctors Hospital