Bong Go criticizes PhilHealth for ‘inadequate’ service

BUTUAN CITY— Reelectionist Senator Bong Go on Saturday expressed dissatisfaction with the services of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) despite having billions in excess funds.

Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, said this at a campaign rally of the PDP Laban senatorial candidates in Butuan City as he presented his legislative accomplishments for the health sector, specifically the Malasakit Centers and Super Health Centers.

“Lahat ng Pilipino, miyembro tayo ng PhilHealth. Kaya galit ako sa PhilHealth dahil sobra sobra ang pondo ninyo, ibinalik niyo nga sa national government ang pondo ninyo, kulang pa rin ang serbisyo ninyo,” the lawmaker said.

(All Filipinos are members of PhilHealth. That's why I'm angry at PhilHealth because they have lots of funds, they even returned their excess funds to the national government, but their services are still lacking.)

“Hindi negosyo ang PhilHealth! Ang PhilHealth, insurance na meron tayong masasandalan [kapag] nagkakasakit,” he added.

(PhilHealth is not a business! PhilHealth is supposed to be the insurance that we can rely on when we get sick.)

GMA News Online sought comment from PhilHealth, and will update this story once it responds.

Senator Bong Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, criticizes PhilHealth: “Galit ako sa PhilHealth dahil sobra sobra ang pondo ninyo, ibinalik niyo nga sa national government ang pondo ninyo, kulang pa rin ang serbisyo ninyo!” @gmanews pic.twitter.com/bNwcs8K16o

— Giselle Ombay (@giselleombay_) May 3, 2025

Last year, PhilHealth remitted P60 billion to the national treasury, while the Supreme Court halted the transfer of the remaining P29.9 billion of its total P89.9 billion in excess funds.

The SC concluded oral arguments on the consolidated petitions seeking to block the transfer of PhilHealth's excess funds back to the state coffers.

Go said he will continue monitoring the spending of PhilHealth if he gets another term.

“PhilHealth, habang ako nandirito sa Senado, hindi ko kayo titigilan para sa Pilipino. Babantayan ko po kayo lahat,” he told the state insurer.

(PhilHealth, while I’m still here at the Senate, I will not stop monitoring you for the sake of the Filipino people. I will watch over you.)

Other PDP bets

During the same campaign sortie, PDP Laban candidates Jimmy Bondoc, Philip Salvador, and Jayvee Hinlo reiterated their plans to support the Duterte family should they be elected to the Senate.

Particularly, they vowed to continue the platforms of former President Rodrigo Duterte and block the removal of his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.

They also decried the “illegal” arrest of the former president, who is currently detained in The Hague for charges of crimes against humanity for the extrajudicial killings during the drug war.

“Hindi tayo saklaw ng ICC. Wala ngang jurisdiction. Sa batas po, basic ang jurisdiction—the power and the authority to render a ruling to decide a case,” said Bondoc, who is a lawyer-singer.

(The ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines. In law, jurisdiction is basic—the power and the authority to render a ruling to decide a case.)

The Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC), in 2019 after The Hague-based tribunal began a probe into the Duterte administration's drug war.

Malacañang, however, has maintained that Duterte’s arrest was legal as the government only honored its commitments with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).

The government also cited Section 17 of Republic Act 9851 or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law which states that: ''In the interest of justice, the relevant Philippine authorities may dispense with the investigation or prosecution of a crime punishable under this Act if another court or international tribunal is already conducting the investigation or undertaking the prosecution of such crime. Instead, the authorities may surrender or extradite suspected or accused persons in the Philippines to the appropriate international court, if any, or to another State pursuant to the applicable extradition laws and treaties.”

Also present at the Butuan rally were Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, as well as Atty. Israelito Torreon, who represented detained pastor Apollo Quiboloy.  

Meanwhile, independent senatorial candidate Nur-Ana Sahidulla, in a Facebook post on Saturday, called for a probe into alleged false reports on her person.

“I strongly believe that politics should never be used as a tool to destroy others. It is disheartening to see misleading information being spread with the intent to tarnish one’s name and reputation,” she said.

“I stand firm in my values and principles guided by faith, integrity, and public service… These kinds of acts not only attack my person, but they also undermine the dignity of honest public service and mislead the very people we are called to serve,” she added.

Roberto Ballon met with the youth and farmers in Tarlac City, and held a dialogue with the Cabangan Fisherfolks Fishermen Cooperative in Zambales.

Bonifacio Bosita also conducted campaign activities in Zambales.

Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas Norberto Gonzales spoke at the Sectoral Leaders Forum of the Bikolanas Agriculture Cooperative, and paid a visit to Congressman Joey Sarte Salceda.

Ariel Querubin secured endorsements from Misamis Oriental Governor Peter Unabia, Misamis Oriental 2nd District Representative Bambi Emano and Cagayan de Oro Mayor Rolando Uy. — with Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News

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