Rowegie Abanto

Residents scavenge recyclable trash along the San Juan River in Barangay Bahay Toro, Quezon City, on September 4, 2021. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File

Residents scavenge recyclable trash along the San Juan river in Barangay Bahay Toro, Quezon City on September 4, 2021. Locals say that the water from the river almost reached the gutter due to  torrential rains last night, which brought flooding to several parts of NCR. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News

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Residents 

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176396623095220210904-san-juan-river-scavengers-GC-0678.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Residents scavenge recyclable trash along the San Juan River in Barangay Bahay Toro, Quezon City, on September 4, 2021. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">Residents scavenge recyclable trash along the San Juan River in Barangay Bahay Toro, Quezon City, on September 4, 2021. <em>George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — A  group on Monday called on lawmakers to augment funding for PhilHealth and services for marginalized and basic sectors in the 2026 national budget, as it flagged billions of pesos of &quot;questionable&quot; items in the proposed spending program.</p><p>The government budget in recent years has been focused on major infrastructure projects that have been &quot;massive failures,&quot; noted Jessica Reyes-Cantos, co-convenor of Social Watch Philippines.</p><p>&quot;Parang ang tingin namin dito, ang label namin, parang puro utak semento ang ating mga mambabatas,&quot; she told ANC.</p><p>(It seems like our lawmakers have a special fixation on construction projects.) </p><p>&quot;They have neglected the marginalized sectors of our society,&quot; Reyes-Cantos said, adding that poor families &quot;have been bearing the brunt of this <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/24/-sumuko-na-kayo-marcos-says-7-accused-in-flood-control-scam-arrested-0718">massive corruption</a>.&quot;</p><p>In a separate statement released last week, the budget monitor proposed an additional P233.2 billion in funding for the marginalized and basic sectors.</p><p>It said questionable budget items — which included funds for the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/11/4/agri-dept-eyes-third-party-auditors-new-price-menu-for-farm-to-market-roads-1802">under-probe farm-to-market roads</a> program, an increase in the House of Representatives&#x27; budget, and billions of pesos in government dole-outs — amounting to P297.4 billion could be reallocated to increase the budget for social services.</p><p>Social Watch Philippines warned that the Universal Health Care program remained &quot;underfunded,&quot; noting that the state insurer PhilHealth may only receive a P53.3 billion in subsidies, which the group said was &quot;far below&quot; its P242-billion proposed budget.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/8/15/p20-k-free-medicines-available-for-philhealth-members-1514">P20-K free medicines available for PhilHealth members</a></div><p>The watchdog proposed an additional P189.28 billion for the PhilHealth&#x27;s National Health Insurance Program &quot;to ensure adequate health insurance coverage for all Filipinos.&quot;</p><p>In the interview, Reyes-Cantos expressed confidence that the new leadership of PhilHealth could handle higher funding for 2026, saying the agency &quot;has risen to the challenge&quot; and commending its &quot;<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/8/15/p20-k-free-medicines-available-for-philhealth-members-1514">innovations</a>.&quot;</p><p>&quot;So long as PhilHealth is able to establish clear rules so that people can really access the health packages that they need… palagay ko kakayanin (I think they can manage the funds),&quot; she said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/6/23/philhealth-expands-coverage-for-chronic-kidney-disease-others-2006">PhilHealth expands coverage for chronic kidney disease, others</a></div><p>Social Watch also said that programs for marginalized learners, children facing online sexual abuse and exploitation, and persons with disabilities remained underfunded.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>WATCH</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qKzd7cjc66w?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>A group wants higher funding for PhilHealth and services for marginalized sectors in the 2026 national budget, as it flagged billions of pesos of "questionable budget items." </p>

A group wants higher funding for PhilHealth and services for marginalized sectors in the 2026 national budget, as it flagged billions of pesos of "questionable budget items."

'Utak semento': Group wants higher funding for PhilHealth, social services amid infra mess

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'Utak semento': Group wants higher funding for PhilHealth, social services amid infra mess

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 24, 2025 04:11 PM PHT

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Social Watch Philippines

National Budget

2026 Budget

House of Representatives

PhilHealth

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