October 16, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — As the third tranche of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth)’s “excess funds” amounting to P30 billion is set for transfer today to the national treasury, concerned health workers urged authorities not to push through with it.
“Our call is for the transfer of funds to the national treasury for unprogrammed appropriations not to proceed,” the Health Workers party-list said in a statement.
The group lamented that in the proposed national budget for 2025, only around P94 billion has been allocated for the more than 80 Department of Health-retained national and regional hospitals.
“If they will use the said PhilHealth funds (P89.9 billion), the budget for public hospitals will be doubled,” the health workers said.
The group added that the unprogrammed fund “will be a big help as it can be used in the repair of health facilities and purchase of additional medical supplies, including medicines.”
The party-list stressed the fund may also give the health workers their “much-deserved benefits” and salary increase.
“It will also be able to address hiring of additional regular health employees and improve services in public hospitals,” the group said.
The Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) echoed the party-list’s sentiments as they also opposed the transfer of the said funds to the state coffers.
“We oppose the transfer of the said funds. These funds can benefit our health workers who are struggling with low salary and lack of benefits,” said AHW national officer Romeo Garcia.
The first tranche of PhilHealth’s unused funds of P89.9 billion amounting to P20 billion was released on May 10. This was followed by the second transfer made on Aug. 21 which involved P10 billion.
The third tranche amounting to P30 billion is scheduled for transfer to the national treasury today while the remittance of the remaining P29.9 billion is set on March 26, 2025.
Health groups, together with civil society organizations, argued that the transfer of the unused PhilHealth funds is against Section 11 of Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act and is tantamount to taking away people’s money.
The law states that excess in PhilHealth’s reserve funds should be used to increase the program’s benefits and decrease the amount of the members’ contributions.
It said no portion of the reserve fund or income should accrue to the general fund of the national government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities, including government-owned and controlled corporations.
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