The Akbayan Party-list first nominee and human rights lawyers, Chel Diokno urged the government to use Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) unspent funds to bolster the services for senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and indigent Filipinos.
Diokno called on the government on Tuesday, October 22, to improve the PhilHealth coverage for such communities, as he believes that they should be prioritized.
“Bagama't mahalagang pondohan ang iba't ibang proyekto ng pamahalaan, hindi ito dapat gawin sa pamamagitan ng pagpapahina sa kapasidad ng PhilHealth na tugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga contributors nito,” he said.
According to Diokno, public health should not be compromised for other projects, adding that every peso of the agency's funds should be used to reduce hospital, medicine, and doctor fees for its contributors.
Fund Reallocation
There was a previous proposal to reallocate PhilHealth's funds to support social development, agriculture, education, and infrastructure. PhilHealth currently has Php 89.9 billion of unspent funds, and is the subject of petitions filed before the Supreme Court (SC).
Petitioners sought to put a stop to the transfer of the excess funds to the national treasury. Its transfer to the national treasury is to augment unprogrammed appropriations in the 2024 budget.
They argued that PhilHealth funds are considered special funds, as they are collected solely for the public's health insurance. Any idle or unused funds cannot be classified as government savings.
Unspent funds as opportunity to expand services
Diokno also stressed the ongoing financial strain that many Filipinos are facing due to medical expenses. He cited the Universal Health Care Act's Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), stating that PhilHealth funds must “remain dedicated to improving health outcomes and strengthening public healthcare.”
He said that the unspent funds represent a critical opportunity for the agency to reform and expand its services. Redirecting the money would undermine the agency's capacity to fulfill its mandate and provide better coverage for all Filipinos.
