Groups question zero PhilHealth allocation before SC

MANILA, Philippines — Health advocates yesterday filed before the Supreme Court a petition challenging the zero allocation given to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. or PhilHealth in the 2025 national budget.

The petitioners, led by the Medical Action Group (MAG), questioned the constitutionality of Congress’ failure to appropriate the earmarked revenues from sin taxes to the state health insurer.

The group asked the high court to mandate the automatic appropriation of the earmarked revenues from tobacco and sweetened beverages taxes for PhilHealth, as provided under Republic Act 11346.

They also asked the court to order the government to account for and transfer the unremitted revenue share from the sin taxes for the premium contributions of PhilHealth’s indirect contributors for the years 2023 to 2025.

“For 2025 alone, the earmarked funds from tobacco and sweetened beverage taxes dedicated to PhilHealth should at least be P69.81 billion,” the groups noted.

One of the petitioners, Social Watch Philippines, a group that has been monitoring the health budget since 2006, called Congress’ zero allocation to PhilHealth in the 2025 budget an insult to all its members.

“The zero budget allocation for the PhilHealth premium contributions of indirect contributors, which include senior citizens, persons with disabilities and the poor and vulnerable Filipinos, is a clear manifestation of the state’s abandonment of its duty toward the fulfillment of the Universal Health Care (UHC). This neglect is not just a policy issue, but a matter of life and death for these marginalized groups,” said Jessica Cantos, a Social Watch Philippines co-convenor.

The health groups are also asking the SC to order the government to account for and transfer PhilHealth’s share from the revenues of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office from 2019 to the present, as mandated by the UHC Act.