Rowegie Abanto

PhilHealth processes members’ transactions in Quezon City. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File 



Article (news)

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:958px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17343295304781734140533474173224347386320230926-philhealth office-MT-6.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">PhilHealth processes members’ transactions in Quezon City. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File </em></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align:left">MANIA — Former Senate President Franklin Drilon on Monday said the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation would not collapse just because it was not earmarked any subsidy in the 2025 national budget.</p><p>&quot;What I can tell you is that there is 600 billion in unspent funds and therefore PhilHealth is not in danger of collapsing because of the (absence of) subsidy and the practices of the Philhealth president does not add to the favorable picture of the way Philhealth is being managed,&quot; Drilon said in a phone interview with ABS-CBN News where he also lambasted the PhilHealth management over reports that it had a budget of over P100 million for an anniversary event.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/14/philhealth-to-appeal-zero-subsidy-assures-public-it-has-enough-funds-for-benefits-in-2025-1037">PhilHealth to appeal zero subsidy, assures public it has enough funds for benefits in 2025</a></div><p>The bicameral conference committee of senators and congressmen, which reconciled their respective chambers&#x27; versions of the P6.352 trillion 2025 national budget, took away the state subsidy for PhilHealth next year, citing the insurer&#x27;s huge reserve funds.</p><p>&quot;One of the items which did not receive any support or was not given any appropriation is the subsidy to PhilHealth. It&#x27;s because of the anomalies that we have heard about PhilHealth,&quot; Drilon said.</p><p>&quot;The budget as approved by the Bicam did not include any subsidy to Philhealth. A lot of questions have been raised. But to make the story complete, 600 billion in Philhealth funds remain unused. In other words, there is so much fund in PhilHealth.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/15/wrap-cuts-to-deped-philhealth-as-2025-budget-bill-nears-finish-line-2124">WRAP: Cuts to DepEd, PhilHealth as 2025 budget bill nears finish line</a></div><p>Drilon wants the insurer to increase benefits and modernize. </p><p>&quot;What Philhealth should do is increase the benefits and maybe spend money for the complete computerization of Philhealth. Because so much anomalies are being discovered and investigated in Philhealth. So, and it is not made, it is made worse by the corporate budget of Philhealth, which has not passed through Congress. And I&#x27;m referring to the recent discovery of 136 million for an anniversary budget, anniversary of Philhealth,&quot; Drilon said.  </p><p>&quot;That is totally unconscionable and immoral. The president should fire Ledesma because of these abuses. Philhealth is a monopoly. It is in effect a tax on the salary because there is compulsory contribution and therefore they do not need all of this advertisement. What they should do is increase the benefits and advertise these benefits. That&#x27;s what they should do rather than have this P136 million budget for an anniversary ball, anniversary celebration. To me, this is totally uncalled for,&quot; he said.</p><p>Drilon believes that this budget for an anniversary event justifies Congress&#x27; decision to take away state subsidy next year.</p><p>&quot;And that is why while questions may be raised as to why Congress did not appropriate anything for Philhealth. The Practices of PhilHealth, particularly on this abusive anniversary ball, justifies the withholding of any subsidy, especially considering that PhilHealth has about P600 billion in its coffers right now. &quot; Drilon added. </p><p>The executive originally proposed a subsidy of about P74 billion for PhilHealth next year.</p><p>PhilHealth earlier said the P137.7-million spending plan for the yearlong celebration of its 30th anniversary followed government guidelines. Activities related to the anniversary will benefit staff, stakeholders “and more importantly our members,” it said.  </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/14/philhealth-says-planned-spending-for-30th-anniversary-reasonable-within-guidelines-1504">PhilHealth says planned spending for 30th anniversary ‘reasonable’, within guidelines</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><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/nqxlA8Y74oA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Former Senate President Franklin Drilon on Monday said the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation would not collapse just because it was not earmarked any subsidy in the 2025 National Budget.</p>

Former Senate President Franklin Drilon on Monday said the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation would not collapse just because it was not earmarked any subsidy in the 2025 National Budget.

Drilon: PhilHealth won't collapse due to absence of state subsidy in 2025

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Drilon: PhilHealth won't collapse due to absence of state subsidy in 2025

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 16, 2024 02:22 PM PHT

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