President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has announced that the government will return ₱60 billion in excess funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) that were previously transferred to the National Treasury.
Speaking during his visit to Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila on Saturday, Marcos assured the public that the funds will be restored to PhilHealth to expand services and strengthen the state insurer’s operations.
The President explained that the funds will be sourced from government savings, particularly from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“So I'm happy to be able to announce na dahil sa ating mga ginagawa, alam na nga nila lahat, 'yung mga savings natin na bago, na galing sa iba't ibang departamento, but mainly from the Department of Public Works and Highways, yung 60 billion na 'yan, ibabalik na natin sa PhilHealth. Hindi naman para sa pangamba ng tao, hindi dahil gagamitin na natin, nagkaroon na tayo ng savings, gagamitin na natin yan para palawakin pa ang serbisyo ng PhilHealth,” Marcos said.
He emphasized that while the earlier transfer did not affect PhilHealth’s coverage, many Filipinos remained worried that it could lead to reduced services.
"'Yung 60 billion na pera ng PhilHealth na hindi naman nagagamit, ay dinala sa national government. Kahit anong paliwanag na ibigay namin, kahit anong ipakita natin na dumadami ang serbisyo na konocover ng PhilHealth, may pangamba pa rin ng tao na baka mabawasan ang mga services dinagdagan na natin. Pero syempre, hindi naman may iwasan yan. Dahil ito ay usapan ito. Di naman tawag na tayo. Life and death issues here," he said.
The President also highlighted the importance of the government’s Zero Balance Billing program, assuring that the restored funds will help strengthen this initiative and other health-related services.
Marcos further commended the country’s health workers for their dedication and hard work.
“We have to congratulate all our health workers. Because we know that you are very hardworking and you know how dedicated you are,” he said.
The Department of Health (DOH) welcomed the move, saying the restored funds would help ensure that PhilHealth remains capable of delivering on its mandate of universal healthcare.
With the ₱60 billion reinstated, the government hopes to reassure Filipinos of its commitment to strengthening healthcare access, reducing out-of-pocket expenses, and ensuring that every citizen can benefit from PhilHealth coverage.
The Department of Finance (DOF) on Saturday welcomed Marcos decision to restore the P60 billion in excess funds of the PhilHealth, which was returned to the national treasury, saying the move will "boost the expansion of benefit and services."
