PhilHealth funds also siphoned for flood control?

MANILA, Philippines — Billions of funds from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) may have also been used in the anomalous flood control projects.

The transfer of the P60 billion PhilHealth fund to the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) reportedly triggered the release of funds under the unprogrammed appropriations to finance flood control projects.

Under the Department of Finance Circular 003-2023, the BTr shall issue to the Department of Budget and Management a certification, which shall become the basis of the DBM in the release of funds chargeable against unprogrammed appropriations.

The unprogrammed appropriation releases for flood control projects for 2023 was P34 billion and P107 billion for 2024.

Across 2023 and 2024, the unprogrammed appropriation releases for the flood control projects amounted to P141 billion.

The P107 billion for flood control in 2024 was based on available special allotment release order.

President Marcos has ordered the return of P60 billion from BTr to PhilHealth. The DBM said the fund will be returned to PhilHealth through the 2026 national budget.

Some groups have opposed the reimbursement of PhilHealth’s P60 billion through the General Appropriations Act, saying “it is making taxpayers reimburse with their own money the taxes stolen by flood control scammers.”

They said the reimbursement should come from restitution of those convicted of flood control scams.