House probe on non-functioning health facilities sought

House Deputy Minority Leader and ML Representative Leila de Lima on Wednesday called for a congressional inquiry on non-operational health centers and the alleged misuse of public funds under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program of the Department of Health.

In House Resolution 353, de Lima said recent revelations about the non-functioning health centers and questions over the utilization of allocations under the HFEP warrant a legislative investigation in aid of legislation.

She underscored the need to look into the “many factual and legal issues” surrounding the alleged misuse of DOH funds.

De Lima also warned about “the possible corruption of government officials, public employees, and private companies and individuals that resulted in these abandoned, incomplete, or non-operational hospitals, health centers, and similar facilities.”

The lawmaker urged the House committees on good government and public accountability, public accounts, and health to launch a joint House probe on the alleged misuse of HFEP funds.

“Sa dami ng hindi nakumpleto o abandonadong hospital at health facilities, kayo ba ay Department of Health o Department of Haunted Hospitals?” the former senator turned partylist solon asked in a separate statement.

(With all these incomplete and abandoned health facilities, is it really right to call it the Department of Health or Department of Haunted Hospitals?)

“Mantakin nyo: May pondo para sa mga ospital at health centers, pero hindi naman nakukumpleto o hindi sadyang kinukumpleto; kung may maipatayo man, hindi naman operational at hinahayaang maging abandonado. Pagamutan yan para kanino - para sa mga multo,” De Lima said.

(Just think about it: there are funds for hospitals and health centers but these are incomplete, or deliberately left incomplete. If ever construction is completed, these are not operational and left abandoned. Is it a hospital for ghosts?)

“These issues of incompetence and irregularities are very alarming and frustrating, especially for the Filipino people who urgently need quality, accessible, and affordable medical services,” she added.

During the House plenary deliberations on the DOH’s proposed P253 billion for 2026, Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno said only 200 of the country’s 600 health centers under the HFEP are functioning due to lack of manpower.

In addition, De Lima cited a 2024 Commission on Audit (COA) report which found that 123 DOH projects worth P11.5 billion were not completed within their contract deadlines.  

“Hindi katanggap-tanggap ang bilyon-bilyong pondong nasasayang para sa serbisyong pangkalusugan ng mga Pilipino. Napakarami nating mga kababayan ang takot na takot magpa-ospital hindi lang dahil sa kanilang sakit pero dahil sa laki ng kanilang babayaran,” de Lima said. 

(It is unacceptable that billions of government funds for health services are being wasted. Too many Filipinos even fear going to the hospital - not because of their sickness, but due to hospital fees.)

“Ang masaklap pa: Napakarami nating mga kababayan ang namamatay nang hindi nakapagpacheck-up o nakapagpa-ospital, napakarami nating nababaon sa utang dahil sa pagkakasakit at lalong nalulubog sa pangamba kung saan kukuha ng pambayad sa ospital, tapos malalaman natin na bilyon-bilyong pondo ang nasasayang. Hindi dapat palampasin ito. Dapat may managot sa anomalyang ito na pumapatay sa napakaraming Pilipino," she added.

(What’s worse, a lot of Filipinos even die without seeing a doctor. Others go into debt because of sickness and are filled with anxiety when they worry about how to pay hospital fees. Then we learn that billions of funds are being wasted. We should not let this pass and someone should account for this anomaly that is killing so many Filipinos.) — JMA, GMA Integrated News