DOH seeks P358.8-B budget for 2027, needs more for PhilHealth, hospitals

The Department of Health (DOH) has proposed a P358.8 billion budget for 2027, which aims to provide affordable and accessible healthcare to Filipinos.

But the agency said it needs close to P200 billion more for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and hospital operations.

During the House budget hearing on Wednesday, Secretary Edwin Mercado said the proposed 2027 budget is 21% lower than the P448 billion appropriated budget in 2026.

He provided a breakdown of the budget under the following Unified National Agenda for Health (UNA):

• Health schools, workplaces, and communities (P60.5 billion)
• Functional primary care system (P29.1 billion)
• Quality and efficient hospitals (P207.3 billion)
• Information technology transformation (P2.7 billion)
• Strong institutions and health workforce (P54.2 billion)

Mercado said P117 billion was allotted for Personnel Services (PS), P218 billion for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE), and P19 billion for Capital Outlay (CO)

According to Mercado, the three priority items of DOH’s 2027 proposed budget are PhilHealth, the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP), and the operations of DOH hospitals.

To fund its planned programs, the DOH is seeking the following additional funding:

• PhilHealth: P170 billion
• HFEP: P15 billion
• DOH hospital operations: P12 billion

Based on our projections of the actual benefit payments for indirect members ay kulang po iyong P74 billion. Ang initial projection po is P244 billion," Mercado said.

He added the additional funding for HFEP and operations of DOH hospitals, including regional hospitals, will help local government units provide for the health needs of the people. —LDF, GMA News