By: Reigh John Bench Almendras
Photo from: Philstar
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) will receive zero budget for its subsidy and will only be provided a budget for its operational costs in 2025 due to its P600 billion reserve funds, Senator Grace Poe confirmed on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
The decision to remove the subsidy budget for PhilHealth started after congressmen challenged the corporation’s reserved funds that failed to minimize the price of contribution rates among its direct and indirect contributors.
Sen. Poe, the head of the finance committee in the upper chamber, emphasized the need for PhilHealth to prioritize using its reserve funds.
The senator highlighted recent public dissatisfaction with delayed and inadequate reimbursement processes.
“If we can see that they have that much money, they need to use it because it’s just going to waste. What are they doing? Why are they just keeping it and not using it?” Sen. Poe stated.
She further explains the intention of the removal of the subsidy budget for PhilHealth.
“Because it’s just wasted. Why are they just storing it there? They’re not using it. So, in those sectors that really don’t have funds, that’s where we put the excess from others that we know they don’t need,” she added.
Meanwhile, vocal opposition member Sen. Risa Hontiveros expressed concern over the decision.
According to Sen. Hontiveros, withholding support from PhilHealth to sustain premium contributions for the most vulnerable denies Filipinos their right to access healthcare.
She further added that it is the responsibility of the government to pay for the premium of PhilHealth’s indirect contributors which include persons with disabilities (PWD), the poor, and senior citizens.
“This zero subsidy is unfair, illegal, and potentially unconstitutional. How about Filipinos who cannot pay their premium contributions? This is a major blow to our goal of having universal healthcare in the country,” Sen. Hontiveros argued in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Earlier this year, 1SAMBAYAN Coalition led by Sen. Koko Pimentel and another group led by Neri Colmenares went to the Supreme Court, (SC) to challenge an order from the Department of Finance (DOF) mandating PhilHealth to transfer its funds worth P89.9 billion to the national treasury.
Groups argued the funds must be utilized to effectively decrease the amount of contributions to the corporation.
With four proposed transfers to the National Treasury, three were already executed.
However, SC in October issued a temporary restraining order blocking the processing of the last tranche worth P29.9 billion.
According to the Malacañang, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is set to sign the proposed 2025 budget on Dec. 20.