House deputy Speaker Ralph Recto announced on Sunday that Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s administration allocated P2.02 billion pesos for cancer funds from the Department of Health&rsquo;s (DOH) P306.1 billion budget for 2024 during the House&rsquo;s deliberation of the 22024 proposed national budget worth P5.7 trillion pesos.
According to Recto, P1.02-billion will be allocated for the cancer control fund in prevention of the increase in cancer cases, where almost 60,000 Filipinos died from such diseases in 2021.
He further said that the proposed P28 billion may be added for the medicine supply for next year and the P22.2 billion to reduce the hospital bill that is under the Medical Assistance for Indigent Fund (MAIF).
With the proposed allocation, the House Deputy Speaker explained that P10 billion pesos will be deducted from the DOH fund next year since there will be a deduction for MAIF unless it is restored by Congress.
&ldquo;The MAIF will get a P10 billion reduction, from this year&rsquo;s P32.6 billion to the proposed P22.2 billion for 2024, unless both houses of Congress restore it to this year&rsquo;s level,&rdquo; Recto said though the issued press release.
In addition, Recto stated that the P20 billion is allocated for "Public Health Emergency Benefits for Health Workers," as the country is still recovering from the impact of COVID-19.
"Budget-wise, the DOH is still reeling from the effects of long COVID as shown by the proposed P20 billion allocation for 'Public Health Emergency Benefits' for health workers,&rdquo; he said in a statement.

He added that if the benefits are granted, the health budget may grow by 2025.

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Cancer fund increased in proposed 2024 nat’l budget – Recto