THE Department of Health (DOH) today belied claims that the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has no budget.
In a statement, DOH chief Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said PhilHealth’s budget for approval by the PhilHealth board for 2025 is P284 billion, and with no government subsidy. Of the proposed budget, P271 billion will be for benefit expense, P12 billion for administrative expenses, and P0.3 billion for capital outlay.
“Sa 2024, 63 percent lang po ang utilization ng pera na inallocate ng pamahalaan para sa PhilHealth [benefits]. Mababa yun, diba? Kung sa atin [sa DOH], lagpak yun – 63 percent. Ibig sabihin nun, nagkaroon sila ng ‘surplus’ of P150 billion. Ngayon kung ikaw, binibigyan ka ng baon ng nanay mo, at hindi mo ginagastos, at manghihingi ka pa ng pera na mas marami pa?,” explains Herbosa.
He said that the budget he presented to Congress was a P74-billion subsidy for indirect contributors, which he said that PhilHealth can easily pay. “Mas marami pa yung natira niya eh, P150 billion, [kaysa] hiningi natin na 74 billion. Diba prinesent ko sa Kongreso ay P74 billion subsidy for indirect [contributors]. Kayang-kaya bayaran ng PhilHealth yung 74 billion dahil may sobra pa from last year! Tama ba?,” he continued.
He urged people not to believe what they read in social media because they are incorrect. “Yung 150 billion, kayang bayaran yung remainder. Yung subsidy natin, 5,000 per indirect member. Ang indirect members, mga 16 million. Pag minultiply mo iyon, mga P80 billion. Eh magkano ba yung surplus? P150 billion! Ano yun, itatabi, itatago na naman sa bangko yung 150 billion?,” Herbosa continued.
He reiterated that PhilHealth still has enough budget that can pay for member benefits. “Wala pong mawawalang benepisyo. Mga nananakot lang at nanga-agitate ang nagsasabing mawawala ang benepisyo ng PhilHealth. Napakarami po ng pera ng PhilHealth.”
Herbosa emphasized that the DOH is the agency that provides the healthcare service through its 87 hospitals and primary care facilities. He said PhilHealth’s job is to pay these hospitals. If they put the money in the bank, he said there’s a problem there. “Bakit mo bibigyan pa ng pera? Ibayad nila sa mga ospital natin para tuluy-tuloy ang benepisyo sa ospital. Kasi pag hindi pumasok yung pera sa ospital, wala tayong pambili ng gamot, wala tayong pambayad ng sweldo.”