Marcos orders return of ₱60 B to PhilHealth

President Marcos has announced that the government will return P60 billion to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), assuring the public that the funds will be used to expand services and strengthen the state insurer's operations.

- By ARGYLL CYRUS GEDUCOS

Speaking at the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila during an inspection of the Zero-Balance Billing program, Marcos said he understood the public's anxiety over the Department of Finance (DOF)'s earlier transfer of PhilHealth's unused funds to the national treasury under the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

"Even if we've shown that services will not be reduced, the fear remains," he said on Saturday, Sept. 20.

The President stressed that the money would now be restored to PhilHealth following savings generated from other agencies, particularly the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

"That ₱60 billion will be returned to PhilHealth, not just to ease public fears but so we can use it to expand services," he said.

President Marcos emphasized that the move was consistent with his administration's priority to strengthen the country's healthcare system.

"Healthcare is the most important service the government can give. That is why we are strengthening and expanding it significantly," he said.

The President underscored that the return of PhilHealth's funds was not merely a symbolic act but a practical step to ensure Filipinos have wider access to medical services.

He pointed to the Zero-Balance Billing program as an example of how public health reforms were making services more accessible, noting Fabella's role as a recognized center for neonatal care.

Marcos added that public funds must be directed to programs that address life-and-death situations, reiterating that health remains central to his administration's social agenda.