Labor group urges SC to stop PhilHealth fund transfer

A major labor group has filed a motion to intervene before the Supreme Court (SC), seeking to stop the transfer of P89.9 billion from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.(PhilHealth)'s reserve fund to the National Treasury.

-  RHODINA VILLANUEVA

The intervenors, led by the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition representing various labor organizations, assert that the fund transfer is an act of negative social justice that would adversely affect the nation's health care system and its beneficiaries, particularly "those who have less in life." This developed after Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition in light of the impending transfer of the P89.9-billion fund, which Nagkaisa argues is unconstitutional and detrimental to the expansion and improvement of PhilHealth's basic health benefits and services.

Of the reserve fund, P30 billion has already been transferred, with additional funds set to follow.