MANILA, Philippines — After Congress allocated zero subsidy for 2025 to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. ostensibly for inefficieny in fund utilization, organized labor pushed yesterday for the immediate removal of PhilHealth board members for compromising public health.
Labor coalition NAGKAISA called on Congress to protect Filipino workers by prodding President Marcos to fire the current leadership of PhilHealth and its board.
“Instead of punishing workers who are already burdened by systemic inefficiencies, Congress must push for accountability from PhilHealth’s leadership. We cannot allow the people’s health to be compromised further,” the coalition emphasized.
“The Marcos administration must act and act now before it’s too late. Fire the leadership of PhilHealth. The health and lives of Filipinos cannot wait,” the group urged the President.
The coalition demanded real reforms in PhilHealth to ensure that all Filipinos have access to quality and affordable health care without fear of debt or hospital detention.
According to NAGKAISA, the zero government subsidy for PhilHealth could severely impact workers, most of whom are struggling to afford health care, as coalition chair Sonny Matula said PhilHealth’s benefits are already insufficient despite receiving subsidies.
“Once the subsidy is removed in 2025, our health situation will further deteriorate. Many Filipinos, especially workers who are already struggling to afford health care, will find themselves practically in hospital detention due to their inability to pay hospital bills,” Matula said.
He also criticized the legislators as they failed to prioritize basic human rights in their decision to remove government subsidy from PhilHealth.
“There is clearly something wrong with the priorities of our legislators. Allocating P1.113 trillion to the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways), slashing the DepEd (Department of Education) budget to P737 billion and leaving PhilHealth with zero funding blatantly disregards the constitutional mandates on education and health,” Matula pointed out.
Members of NAGKAISA are set to mount a rally to express their dismay over the removal of subsidy for PhilHealth. They will urge for the restoration of the subsidy and the reformation of PhilHealth’s system by calling for the resignation of its board members.
For his part, health advocate Dr. Tony Leachon called on Health Secretary Ted Herbosa to defend the people from politics.
Leachon questioned how lawmakers were able to approve zero funds for PhilHealth without any objection from Herbosa and PhilHealth president Emmanuel Ledesma.
“They say PhilHealth has adequate reserves. It does not need funds. Its membership funds it. That’s stupid,” he said.
Leachon added that Herbosa, as a doctor, should know that funds are necessary to subsidize the poor and reserves are contingent funds needed to provide for expanded health care services.
Probe PhilHealth
Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Raul Bongalon sought yesterday an investigation into PhilHealth’s failure to expand the health insurance benefits or reduce the premiums of its members, despite holding over P700 billion in reserves and more than P500 billion in investible funds.
Bongalon, vice chairman of the House committee on appropriations, said he would file a resolution calling for a congressional probe into PhilHealth’s reserve funds.
He seeks to uncover where these funds are invested and whether PhilHealth executives are personally benefiting from these transactions.
“At just a conservative four percent annual interest, P500 billion could yield P20 billion in income. How much does PhilHealth really make from its investments? Where do they place the funds and who decides where it’s invested? Most importantly, what are the criteria for these investments?” Bongalon asked.
He also responded to critics, saying that their decision to defund PhilHealth will not deprive Filipinos of health insurance benefits, as the state health insurer has more than enough funds to cover its obligations.
Bongalon stressed that many of his constituents, including private hospitals, prefer to subsidize the Department of Health (DOH)-administered Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program because it can cover the entire hospital bill compared to PhilHealth which only partially covers a patient’s medical expenses.
Sen. JV Ejercito also reassured the public that financial assistance for health care will not be affected, despite Congress’ decision to allocate zero funds for PhilHealth in 2025.
He explained the rationale of the Senate committee on finance’s chairperson Sen. Grace Poe in the PhilHealth zero allocation was to force the leadership to use the agency’s reserve funds of about P600 billion.
“These funds remain unused and the finance committee chair believes PhilHealth must be compelled to utilize these funds for the benefit of our people, particularly those who are hospitalized,” Ejercito said in an interview over dzBB.
The senator is poised to call for an oversight committee hearing to ask PhilHealth and the DOH about the implementation of the Universal Healthcare (UHC) Law.
“We need to assess where PhilHealth fell short and ensure all beneficiaries, especially those hospitalized, feel the impact of UHC,” he noted.
Ejercito remains hopeful that the state health insurer can rise to the challenge, emphasizing the need for leadership reforms and proper fund utilization to fulfill the UHC Law’s promise of affordable, accessible health care for all Filipinos.
Scale down celebrations
Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez urged PhilHealth yesterday to drastically scale down its “extravagant” February 2025 anniversary celebration costing at least P138 million.
“Government agencies like PhilHealth should heed the appeal of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for austerity not only during the Christmas holidays but in the months ahead, in solidarity with Filipino families in many communities still suffering and recovering from the onslaught of recent super typhoons and with poor Filipinos,” Rodriguez said.
He criticized the state health insurer which is resorting to wasteful spending in its planned anniversary celebration since the bulk of its expenses would be devoted to giveaways like tokens, coffee table books and similar disposable items.
“The P138 million PhilHealth has budgeted for the event could better be used for patient dialysis. At the increased rate of P6,350 per session, P138 million could fund 21,732 dialysis treatments and benefit the same number of patients,” he explained.
He suggested a drastic reduction of PhilHealth’s celebration budget, with P8 million for their celebration activities and P130 million for the members’ benefits.
He also accused PhilHealth officials of being “mentally dishonest” for labeling the revelation of Leachon about the planned expenditure as “fake news.” — Jose Rodel Clapano, Cecille Suerte Felipe