Herbosa slams alleged use of DOH aid for Cha-cha signatures

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa on Tuesday condemned the alleged use of the Department of Health’s (DOH's) medical assistance program for a signature campaign to push for Charter change.

“Kung ginagamit ito sa Charter change, isa ako sa unang magpo-protesta kasi hindi ganun ang intention nung pinasa ang General Appropriations Act. The allocation for that money is for medical assistance, hindi siya pang Charter change,” Herbosa said at a press conference.

(If it is being used for Charter change, I will be the first one to protest because that was not the intention of the program when the General Appropriations Act was passed. The allocation for that money is for medical assistance and not Charter change.)

Senator Imee Marcos earlier alleged the use of government financial aid for the signature campaign.

This involved the DOH’s Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program, and the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Tulong Panghanapbuhay Sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced workers (TUPAD) program.

For 2023, Herbosa said the DOH was able to help 3.5 million indigents through MAIFIP, using a budget of more than P22 billion.

He said the budget for the program was increased to P58 billion in 2024.

“Nilakihan ang aming budget for that kasi nga very effective. Umabot na ng P58 billion ang hawak namin na MAIP funds. In fact, ang pinanggalingan nito was the PhilHealth funds,” he added.

(Our MAIFIP budget was increased to P58 billion because it is very effective. It came from PhilHealth's funds.)

Meanwhile, Health Undersecretary Eric Tayag said the DOH did not know who was using the medical aid program for the signature campaign. Tayag encouraged the public to report such instances, and these would be forwarded to authorities.

The DOH earlier emphasized that the only consideration to become a beneficiary of their medical assistance program was the assessment from registered social workers. — DVM, GMA Integrated News