By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
In a flag ceremony speech earlier Monday, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro Herbosa denounced rumors circulating on social media, claiming that Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has insufficient funds.
Contrary to the false information spreading on the web, Herbosa stressed that the Board has approved a significant amount of budget allocation for PhilHealth in 2025, valued at P284 billion.
The health chief noted that only 63% of funds allocated to PhilHealth in 2024 were distributed to beneficiaries, which meant that the national health insurer’s budget for next year had a significant increase of P150 billion, ending up as PhilHealth’s “surplus” funds.
“So huwag kayong naniniwala sa mga nababasa niyo sa social media, lahat sila mali. Yung 150 billion, kayang bayaran ‘yung remainder. ‘Yung subsidy natin, 5,000 per indirect member. Ang indirect members, mga 16 million. Pag minultiply mo iyon, mga 80 billion. Magkano ba ‘yung surplus? 150 billion! Ano yun, itatabi, itatago na naman sa bangko ‘yung 150 billion?” Sec. Herbosa explained.
“Tama lang na ‘yung kayang-kaya bayaran ng PhilHealth, ‘yung 80 billion na subsidy ng mga indirect [members]. So, hindi po nawala ang budget ng PhilHealth. Kaya ang press release namin, ang PhilHealth, kaya pa ring tustusan lahat ng mga benepisyo niyong miyembro. Wala pong mawawalang benepisyo. Mga nananakot lang at nang-a-agitate ang nagsasabing mawawala ang benepisyo ng PhilHealth. Napakarami po ng pera ng PhilHealth,” the Health chief added, reassuring the public that PhilHealth has sufficient funds to sustain the benefits enjoyed by its members.
Likewise, Herbosa also emphasized that PhilHealth’s 2025 budget is almost at par with that of DOH, noting that the latter provides health care services to the public via 87 accredited hospitals and primary care facilities, while the former shoulders the expenses that may be accrued by PhilHealth members due to hospitalization.
-av