DBM OKs release of P25.16B for health insurance of 8.4M poor Filipinos

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Thursday said it approved the release of P25.16 billion to cover the health insurance premiums of poor Filipinos.

In a statement, the DBM said Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman approved the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) amounting to P25,157,547,000 to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) on May 23, 2023.

The funds released will cover the one-year health insurance premiums of 8,385,849 qualified Filipino indigents enrolled at PhilHealth.

“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. mandated his cabinet to ensure that Filipinos are provided with affordable health care,” said Pangandaman.

Indigent persons are those who have no visible means of income, or whose income is insufficient for family subsistence, as identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), based on specific criteria.

The DBM said the fund will be sourced from authorized allotments in the Fiscal Year 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

In April, the Budget Department also approved the release of a total of P42,931,355,000 to cover one-year health insurance premiums of over 8.5 million senior citizens nationwide. —VAL, GMA Integrated News