JV Ejercito slams PhilHealth over its P89-B surplus: ‘Sana nagagamit na ito ng taumbayan
November 13, 2024
Senate Senior Deputy Majority Leader Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito took a firm stand during the Senate interpellation of the Department of Health’s 2025 proposed budget, questioning the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on its failure to provide sufficient financial relief to patients.
Ejercito, principal sponsor and author of the Universal Healthcare Act, voiced his frustration over the unspent P89-billion of PhilHealth, probing why these excess funds have not yet been used to ease the burden of healthcare costs for the public.
“We felt we were deceived. We fought hard to secure more funding for healthcare, only to learn that billions remain unused. Sana nagagamit na ito ng taumbayan,” Ejercito said.
In 2019, study shows that Philhealth support value is at 66% as captured in the National Health Objectives 2023-2028. But latest data showed that Philhealth’s support value for inpatient care is only 43.58% in 2020 and 56.80% in 2021.
“Our aim with the Universal Healthcare Law was to make quality healthcare accessible to all Filipinos, removing the need for people to seek support from other agencies or politicians. But the reality is, many are still forced to do just that.”
Additionally, data from the Department of Health revealed that PhilHealth contributed only 13.6% to the nation’s total health spending in 2022.
Ejercito underscored the urgency for PhilHealth to fulfill its mandate under the Universal Healthcare Law and provide genuine support to Filipinos in need.
“We should be proactive,” the lawmaker from San Juan urged. “It’s easy to feel comfortable in our offices, pero may mga kababayan tayong hindi makabayad at halos mamamatay na sa laki ng hospital bills. Hindi na sila makakahintay.”
Pointing to PhilHealth’s P89-billion reserve fund, Ejercito called attention to the apparent mismatch between PhilHealth’s financial health and its service to the public.
“PhilHealth may look good on paper with its financial reserves, but this is not a private corporation. In public service, funds for social welfare are used fully. Any unused funds signify failure—not success,” he emphasized.
“It’s time PhilHealth acts for the people, prioritizing the well-being of Filipinos over financial figures.”
