DEPUTY Speaker Janette Garin of Iloilo on Friday fired back at Dr. Tony Leachon over his call for Executive Secretary Ralph Recto to resign, calling the attack misplaced, politically noisy and detached from the harder work of balancing taxes, health spending and relief for poor Filipinos.
Garin, Batangas Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro and San Juan Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora separately defended Recto from Leachon’s allegations on PhilHealth funding, fuel excise taxes and the expanded value-added tax, saying public finance cannot be reduced to slogans designed to inflame rather than explain.
“Sumawsaw ka na naman. Kung totoong buwis ang adbokasiya mo, then say it straight: tax the rich, subsidize the poor and stop pretending that every complicated fiscal decision can be solved by calling for someone’s resignation,” Garin said.
“Kulang na kulang sa context ang atake na ito. Madaling magpa-viral, pero mas mahirap maglatag ng solusyon na hindi sisira sa budget, o hindi magpapabigat sa mahihirap at hindi puro paingay,” Garin added.
Leachon made an online post calling for Recto’s resignation and cited the alleged “defunding” of PhilHealth, the failure to reduce excise taxes on diesel and gasoline and Recto’s role in the EVAT law as grounds for his demand.
The post also described Recto as the “author of EVAT,” a framing that administration allies rejected as a selective reading of tax policy, especially since revenue measures are also used to fund social services, health programs, infrastructure and subsidies for vulnerable sectors.
Luistro said it was unfair to blame Recto for complex policy choices that pass through Congress, economic managers and the full machinery of government.
“Calling for resignation is the easiest line to throw when one does not want to deal with the hard part of governance. The harder question is this: how do we raise enough revenues, protect the poor and keep essential services running without making irresponsible promises?” Luistro stressed.
“Tax policy is always a question of balance. If Dr. Leachon wants to talk about health care, then let us talk about how to strengthen PhilHealth, improve benefits, reduce out-of-pocket expenses and make sure the money reaches patients instead of turning the debate into a personality attack,” Luistro added.
Luistro also stressed that Recto’s record as a legislator and economic policymaker should be judged in full, rather than through a social media card built around three accusations.
“ES Recto has spent decades working on budgets, revenues and reforms. You may agree or disagree with his positions, but reducing that record to a meme is intellectually lazy and unfair to the public,” Luistro said.
Zamora said Leachon’s post ignored the real policy debate on how government should fund health care while shielding ordinary Filipinos from heavier burdens.
“The responsible position is to design a system where those with greater capacity contribute more and those with less in life receive stronger support. That is the real conversation, and that is far more useful than asking for resignations every time a policy issue becomes difficult,” Zamora said.
“Public health advocacy should help people understand the choices before government. It should not scare them with half-context claims that make anger easier than understanding,” Zamora added.
Zamora said critics are free to question fiscal policy but must be careful when turning disagreement into personal attacks against public officials.
“We can debate PhilHealth funding, fuel taxes and VAT with seriousness. But if the goal is to help struggling Filipino families, then the answer should be better policy, clearer targeting and stronger subsidies, not another round of online attacks,” Zamora said.
Garin, who previously served as Health Secretary, said Leachon should know that health financing cannot be treated as a one-line slogan because the health system depends on contributions, subsidies, reimbursements, benefit packages and long-term sustainability.
“Doktor siya, so dapat alam niya na hindi lahat ng sakit nadadaan sa sigaw. Ganoon din sa gobyerno. Hindi lahat ng problema sa health financing nadadaan sa resignation demand,” Garin said.
“If he really wants to help, then he should join the serious discussion: paano palalakasin ang PhilHealth benefits, paano babawasan ang gastos ng pasyente at paano titiyakin na ang may kaya ang mas malaking ambag habang ang mahirap ang mas malaking proteksyon,” Garin added.
