Automatic appropriation of at least 5% of GDP for public health services sought

MANILA -- A measure seeking the automatic appropriation of equivalent to at least 5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product for public health services has been filed at the House of Representatives by lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc.

ACT Teachers Party List Representative Antonio Tinio and Kabataan Party List Representative Renee Co filed on Wednesday House Bill 1973 or the proposed Automatic Appropriation for Public Health Services Act.

“The State is failing to provide free or even affordable health services for the poor Filipino majority. Filipinos are burdened with high out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses comprising 44.4 percent of the country’s total health expenditures in 2023,” they said in the bill’s explanatory note.

“The 5 percent of GDP translates to about P1.3 trillion, based on the country’s GDP in 2024.  This can be achieved by rechanneling non-productive expenses like debt servicing… confidential and intelligence funds…” they added.

“’Yung budget for health for 2025 is P270 billion, which. in fact is mas mababa ito ng P30 billion kumpara sa nakaraang taon. So may malaking budget cut in the first place. Tapos ‘yan 1.3 percent lang ng GDP ang katumbas,” Tinio told the media in an interview.

“Samantala, ang recommendation ng World Health Organization ay dapat at least 5 percent ng GDP o mga P1.3 trillion ang dapat inilalaan ng gobyerno taon-taon para sa kalusugan. Kung malaki, yes, malaki. Pero ‘yan ang kailangan para magkaroon ng nakasasapat at kalidad na health services ang mamamayanang Pilipino. Of course, kukunin ‘yan from the general fund. So, mas usapin ito ng pag-prioritize,” he added.

Lanao del Sur 1st District Representative Zia Alonto Adiong expressed openness to supporting efforts that seek to increase funding for health services.

“Anything that would provide a larger effort, a big volume of effort and a larger assistance to education and to health, I'm open for it,” he said.