Marcos allays fears on lack of PhilHealth funds

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Friday allayed concerns about the funding of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), saying that more services from the state insurer have been made available to the public.

Marcos made the remark a day after the Supreme Court (SC) concluded the oral arguments on the consolidated petitions seeking to block the transfer of the state insurer's excess funds back to the national treasury.

''Alam niyo po maraming nag-aalala dahil sinasabi wala ng pondo ang PhilHealth para tulungan ang mga may sakit sa atin. Ay hindi po totoo ‘yun,'' Marcos said in his speech during the Trabaho at Serbisyong Pangkalusugan Sa Bagong Pilipinas Sa Rizal.

(A lot of people were worried because of the notion that PhilHealth has no funds to help those who are sick. That's not true.)

''Kung mararamdaman po ninyo, mula noong nakaraang isang taon, imbes na mabawasan ang mga serbisyo at ipambabayad ng insurance ng PhilHealth, ito po ay dumami pa. Mas lumaki ang pambayad sa insurance, mas marami pa ang serbisyo na ibinibigay ng PhilHealth,'' he added.

(If you'll notice, since last year, instead of a decrease in the service and payments of insurance for PhilHealth, the services increased.)

Marcos emphasized the significance of PhilHealth's services to laborers, noting the huge expenses of medication. He guaranteed that the state insurer was there to assist those who needed medical aid. 
 
''Napakahalaga po niyan dahil po alam naman po natin, lalong-lalo na sa mga nagtatrabaho sa mga – na mga manggagawa eh bawal magkasakit,'' Marcos said. 

(It's very important, especially for our workers who seem to be not allowed to get sick.)

''At hindi lang sa dahil mawawalan ka ng income, ng kita mo dahil nawala ka sa trabaho ay napakamahal kung minsan magpagamot. Kaya’t nandiyan po ang PhilHealth at nandiyan po sila upang tanggapin lahat po ng impormasyon ninyo at ilalagay po nila sa kanilang data center at makakapagbigay po sila ng PhilHealth na ID,'' he added. 

(It's not just they will lose their income but the medical expenses are too high. PhilHealth is there to get all your information, place it in their data center and they will give you a PhilHealth ID.) 

In January, the state insurer assured that its war chest is sufficient to bankroll any additions to or expansion of its benefit packages that Filipinos can avail for their health and medical needs, despite having zero government subsidy for fiscal year 2025.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo said that considering that the oral argument has been concluded, ''we will require the parties to submit their respective memoranda, including the amicus curiae please, within 30 days from today.''

Gesmundo said this is non-extendible.

Last year, PhilHealth remitted P60 billion to the National Treasury before the High Court issued a temporary restraining order to halt the transfer of the remaining P29.9 billion.

Petitions filed by Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, the Philippine Medical Association, the 1SAMBAYAN Coalition, and Bayan Muna chairperson Neri Colmenares and others asked the SC to block the transfer of PhilHealth's excess funds amounting to P89.9 billion back to the National Treasury.—LDF, GMA Integrated News