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Vice Presidential Candidate

6.AKSYON
ONG, DOC
DEMOKRATIKO
WILLIE
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.

Platform and Policy

The candidate's top priorities if elected to office, tracked against previous promises and accomplishments, if any
Health
Related Policy Proposal Pre io s Platform
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Establish a cancer center, with free treatment for indigent patients and a In his 2019 campaign
hospice for recovering patient Urged for easier and cheaper access to medicine, treatment and medical
Upgrade 16 regional hospital advice, including free maintenance medicine, laboratory tests and
Increase support for the National Center for Mental Health medical check-up
Urged other local government units to emulate the city government of Open to legali ing medical mari uan
running mate Domagoso and order anti-COVID medicines themselves
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Vowed to champion the Universal Health Care aw, expanding the scope
All public hospitals to have a heart center, a dialysis center, a lung center
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to give free check-ups to the poor

and kidney cente
Additional Philippine Health Insurance Corp. budget and expanded De iation from Pre io s Platform
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outpatient coverage
Trac Record ccomplis ment
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ave out free medical advice on social media from experience as a

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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

COVID-19 r e spons e

Related Policy Proposal Pre io s Platform

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Free testin De iation from Pre io s Platform

Better pay for health worker
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Additional P100 million funding for hospitals for poor patient

More hospitals, including field hospital
Improved data to better reflect actual utili ation of hospitals and other
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health facilitie
Appoint a doctor to head the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management
of Emerging Infectious Disease
Simplified uarantine categories only EC , modified EC , general C
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More calm pandemic response spokesperso

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Faster distribution of 2nd generation COVID-19 vaccines

Trac Record ccomplis ment
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Major A ccomplis ments h

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.

Title Description Position / Date Status

Popular social media sites,
with at least (as of Dec. 2021)
Online medical advice and health 2007 - present Ongoing
tip provider Facebook - 16 millio
YouTube - 6.8 millio
Twitter - 17,000

Hosted his own shows and

Television and radio show host and appeared on television and
radio shows dispensing free 2005 - 2018 Discontinued
guest medical advice and health
tips

Author, Medicine Blue Book

Health writer Columnist, The Philippine Star

and Pilipino Star Ngayon

A ctions and or Proceedings /

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 A ssets, Liabilities and Net Wort

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
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and employees to the Ombudsman. Public officials and employees may opt to voluntarily disclose their SALN to the public.
There is no publicly available information on this matter at this time. Requested information from the candidate was not provided.

Campaign Details
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, Aksyon Demokratiko,


2019 senatorial campaign 2021 to present

MThe candidate'
ajor d ocacies A v

s top advocacies in the last 15 years or so

Pro COVID-19 accine;

Ref sal of campaign
 Free medical treatment for

nti-Deng axia accine donations and f nding poor comm nities
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A v v u u

Description: Supports COVID-19 vaccine but Description: Claimed to have refused Description: Free medical treatment for poor
opposed Dengvaxia vaccine for individuals campaign donations and funding during his communities via medical missions, including
who had not been previously infected with 2019 senatorial bid, to avoid being beholden at the Pasay Volunteer Charity Health Center

the dengue virus

to donors
Position/Date: Volunteers as doctor

Position/Date: 
 Position/Date: Senatorial candidate, 2019

Status: Ongoing
Pro-COVID-19 vaccine in 2021 - present
Status: ost in 2019 elections
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Anti-Dengvaxia vaccine in 2017 - present

Status: Ongoing

Mandidate'
C
ajor Donors
s ma or donors and campaign unding sources
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There is no publicly available information on this matter at this time. Requested information from the candidate was not provided.

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

Name to appear on t e ballot ON , DOC WI IE


F ll Name Willie Tan Ong

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Birt date Oct. 24, 1963 (58 years old as of election day)

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Birt place Tondo, Manila City

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Residence

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Religion

Lang ages Spo en Filipino, English

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Parents:

Siblings:

Marital Stat s Married in 1993, Anna i a Ramoso-Ong, physician

C ildren Two daughters


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Ed cation
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B.S. Botany, University of the Philippines-Diliman

[Medical degree], De a Salle Health Science Institute
Masters in Public Health, UP - Manila

Wor Experience
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Chief Fellow, Cardiology Fellowship, UP - Philippine eneral Hospital

Chief resident, Manila Doctors Hospital

ast edited March 11, 2022, 5 26 PM

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