No changes in PhilHealth services despite zero subsidy - Marcos

Metro Manila, Philippines - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has assured the public that government health insurance services will be maintained despite the decision of Congress to reject a proposed subsidy for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) next year.

“Huwag niyong inaalala na mababawasan ang serbisyo kahit na kanino. Para sa senior, para sa mga mahirap, para sa middle class, walang mababawasan kahit isang kusing,” he said.

[Translation: Don’t worry about a reduction in services for anyone. For seniors, for the poor, for the middle class, not a single centavo will be cut.]

Congress, upon the recommendation of the bicameral conference committee, disapproved the P74-billion subsidy as the health insurer still has P600 billion in unspent funds.

“Dadagdagan natin ‘yan in 2025. Mas dadami pa ang magiging serbisyo na ibinibigay ng PhilHealth, mas lalaki pa ang magiging payment na ibibigay sa insurance claim,” Marcos said.

[Translation: We will increase that in 2025. PhilHealth’s services will expand further, and the payments for insurance claims will grow.]

Finance Secretary and PhilHealth board member Ralph Recto said PhilHealth has enough funds to pay for member benefits.

He clarified that the zero subsidy does not violate the law.

"I suppose not necessarily because it’s the prerogative of Congress. Hindi siya (It’s not) automatically appropriated like what is given to [local government units], it’s constitutional, it’s automatically appropriated. So these ones are not automatically appropriated. That means Congress can increase or decrease like they’ve done in the previous year," said Recto.