Bicam raises health aid 'pork' to P51.6 B

Senators and congressmen approved a P51.6-billion allocation for the Department of Health (DOH)’s controversial health care program, which has been criticized as a “discretionary fund” vulnerable to political patronage.

- By NEIL JAYSON SERVALLOS

The funding for the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program more than doubled from the P24.2 billion sought by the executive branch.

Patients need “guarantee letters” or endorsements from lawmakers and other politicians to access MAIFIP. It is one of several pork barrel-type or patronage aid programs that budget watchdogs want eliminated.

Citing concerns that the program could be vulnerable to political patronage, the Senate originally wanted to realign much of MAIFIP’s funding toward Universal Health Care and its main implementing arm, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

PhilHealth funds were impounded last year by Congress and the executive to finance the unprogrammed appropriations, deemed as the new pork barrel, and the state health insurer was given zero subsidy for this year.

The House of Representatives version placed MAIFIP at P49.2 billion. The House contingent in the bicameral conference - led by appropriations chair Mikaela Suansing - appealed to their Senate counterparts to consider adopting the House version.