THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will continue to deliver unhampered services despite receiving zero subsidy from the 2025 national budget, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. assured on Monday.
“Sisiguruhin natin na tuloy-tuloy at mas lalawig pa ang mga benepisyo ng lahat ng Pilipino sa ilalim ng PhilHealth,” President Marcos said in his speech during the signing of the PhP6.326 trillion 2025 national budget.
The President emphasized that the administration remains committed to prioritizing social services in the 2025 budget, including the sectors of education, health, economic services, infrastructure and agriculture.
Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin echoed the President’s sentiments in a press conference, assuring the Office of the President will exhaust all remedies to sustain PhilHealth’s services.
“Sinabi ng ating Pangulo kanina na walang mababawas na benepisyo kundi magdagdagan pa. At, pinaliwanag ni Secretary Ralph Recto ngayon, na ang PhilHealth ay maraming resources na maaari niyang gamitin sa pagpapalago ng benepisyo para sa mga kababayan natin,” Bersamin said.
“‘Wag kayong mag-aalala, ang inyong Executive Branch ay maingat … mabusisi sa paggamit ng ating resources,” Bersamin added.
He was referring to the statement of Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Ralph Recto highlighting PhilHealth’s robust financial standing.
The Finance chief cited the approximately PhP280 billion in reserve funds, a PhP150 billion surplus, and over PhP400 billion in investments.
Recto said PhilHealth’s corporate operating budget is sufficient. The government can closely monitor its fiscal performance in the coming year.
“They have adequate resources. Now, having said that, we in the Department of Finance, next year, tutukan namin ang PhilHealth. We will make sure that we spend that budget better,” Recto said when asked to explain PhilHealth’s budget.
Recto said they will particularly focus on the benefit package for the top 10 illnesses.
Asked if the President sustained the zero-budget allocation, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman explained the government did not make any substantial changes in the enrolled bill.
“Pag wala na po sa enrolled bill, wala po. Hindi [na] po siya [pwede]. Hindi po natin puwedeng dagdagan,” she said.
The President signed the PhP6.326 trillion 2025 national budget from the initial proposed PhP6.352 trillion.
He vetoed PhP194 billion worth of proposed projects which he said were “inconsistent with the administration’s priority programs.”
In his speech, the President said he directly vetoed provisions not responsive to the peoples’ needs. Conditional implementation on certain items was also pursued to ensure public funds are utilized according to authorized purposes, he added.
