JV Ejercito to PAGCOR: Maharlika Fund should not affect funding for universal healthcare
February 28, 2023
Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito told
officials of the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) that the
earmarking of its funds for the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund should not
affect the share of different universal healthcare programs in its earnings.
“As the principal sponsor and author of the
Universal Healthcare Law, siyempre, I am concerned that this might affect the
other earmarked (projects). Kung mapupunta sa Maharlika (Fund), will this
affect funding for universal healthcare? Because this is a work in progress,”
he said.
Ejercito, who currently serves as the vice
chairman of the Senate Committee on Health Demography, said there should be
adequate funding for the implementation of Republic Act No. 11223 or the
Universal Healthcare (UHC) Law since the state of the country’s public health
system is a reflection of any administration’s sensitivity to the needs of the
public.
“I would say that the success of an
administration, makikita natin if the healthcare system is successful. Doon
natin makikita if it’s really sensitive to really improving the lives or the
quality of life of our people,” he said.
Under the current proposal, the Maharlika
Investment Fund will receive 10 percent of PAGCOR’s gross gaming revenues.
Meanwhile, the UHC Law requires the national
government to devote half of its shares from PAGCOR’s earnings to the
implementation of the country’s universal healthcare program.
Atty. Arnold Ferdinand Salvosa of PAGCOR’s
corporate services department assured lawmakers that the share of UHC Law in
PAGCOR’s earnings will not be reduced under the proposed funding scheme of the
Maharlika Investment Fund.
He said the national government earned around
P15.4 billion in 2021, the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The country’s improving economic situation
guarantees adequate funding for the UHC Law, as well as other earmarks, he
said.
“Kung magkakaroon po ng ten percent pa of our
gaming operations for Maharlika, ten percent would only be P3.2 billion. So,
kaya pa po from the P15 billion. Even with the P2 billion yearly for the
Philippine Space Agency Fund, kaya pa rin po,” Salvosa said.
“We are expecting na lalaki naman po yung income with
the return of our tourists and so on,” he added.
