Kabataan Party-list Representative Raoul Manuel on Wednesday questioned PhilHealth’s proposed budget for 2025, expressing concern at the possibility of its having unused and idle funds again.
The state health insurer has proposed a budget of P74 billion for 2025, compared to this year’s P61 billion.
“Parang hindi po kasi nagja-jive dahil manghihingi ng mas mataas na budget ang PhilHealth for 2025 tapos ginagamit ang pera na iyon para mapagkakitaan ang health services, tapos eventually baka hindi ito yung last time na gagawin yung pag-remit ng pera sa Treasury,” said Manuel during the plenary debates on the Department of Health’s budget at the House of Representatives.
(It doesn’t jive that PhilHealth is asking for a higher budget for 2025, then it’s used to make money from the health services. And eventually this might not be the last time that funds will be remitted again to the Treasury.)
Earlier this year, a Department of Finance circular ordered PhilHealth to remit about P89.9 billion in its “excess” funds to the Treasury.
The DOF has defended diverting unutilized funds from government companies as being “more prudent” than borrowing or imposing taxes to finance projects. The Department of Budget and Management also said the excess funds will fund the salary increases and benefits of government workers.
Some lawmakers and health groups have objected to diverting the funds, saying that PhilHealth’s funds should be used for the health services and not for other projects.
The Supreme Court will hear petitions against this move in January.
“Baka pagkakitaan siya tapos hanggang sa mayroon na namang ide-declare na excess, tapos mayroon na namang ire-remit sa Treasury. Kung mayroon namang excess or idle funds ang PhilHealth, gamitin na sa kalusugan…Marami tayong mga ospital na kulang sa budget, may cuts sa MOOE,” Manuel added.
(I’m worried that they might monetize the funds again and there will be an excess amount, and will be remitted again to the treasury. If PhilHealth has excess or idle funds, please use it solely on health services…There are lots of hospitals that lack budget and have cuts in their MOOE.)
Money for public hospitals
BHW Party-list Representative Angelica Co, who sponsored the DOH’s budget, agreed that all funds must be utilized for the public.
“Tama po kayo sa mga nabanggit ninyo na dapat gamitin lahat ng pondo sa benefits sa ating mga mamamayan,” he responded.
She added that PhilHealth has also committed to a 30% increase in the coverage rate of its benefit packages.
Manuel said the government should invest more in public hospitals.
“In the first place, sa panahon na maraming nagkakasakit, ang daming naghihirap, dapat hindi humantong sa nagkaroon ng excess funds ang PhilHealth. Kaya kung may pondo, dapat ilaan na sa mga public hospitals natin,” he added.
(In the first place, in times when many are getting sick, when many people are having difficulty with their finances, PhilHealth shouldn’t have excess funds. So if there are funds, these should be used for public hospitals.) — BM, GMA Integrated News
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