The Manila Times
THE Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) said P60 billion has been returned to the state insurer from the National Treasury. In a statement on Thursday, PhilHealth said it has received the funds, following the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “This move is a clear statement of the president’s confidence that PhilHealth will fulfill its mandate to be a partner to every Filipino in their health needs,” it said. In December 2025, the Supreme Court ordered the government to return the funds transferred to the National Treasury back to PhilHealth through the 2026 General Appropriations Act. PhilHealth added that the funds will be used to improve its health services, ensuring that they benefit the average Filipino. “PhilHealth reaffirms its commitment to safeguard the trust placed in it by the president and the people. The corporation will ensure that every peso of this money is allocated to improving benefits, strengthening systems to expedite processes and delivering fast, fair and truly reliable services to every Filipino,” PhilHealth said. Meanwhile, health reform advocate Dr. Tony Leachon said the government’s handling of the funds is a “double jeopardy,” saying taxpayers are now “paying twice” after the funds were restored through the national budget following the Supreme Court’s ruling declaring the transfer unconstitutional. “The P60-billion diversion from PhilHealth reserves is not only unconstitutional — it is a double blow to the Filipino people,” Leachon said. He noted that while the Supreme Court declared the transfer unconstitutional, the replacement funds were not directly restored from the original disbursements but were instead charged to the 2026 national budget. Leachon said the Department of Budget and Management records showed that a P60-billion allotment was released to PhilHealth in April 2026 to comply with the Court’s order. “This sequence creates a double jeopardy for citizens: the original health fund was depleted, and the restoration is now borne by the same public purse,” he said. Leachon also lamented what he described as “lost opportunities” from the diversion of the funds, saying the amount could have expanded PhilHealth coverage, accelerated hospital reimbursements, funded programs for patients with cancer and heart disease, and strengthened primary health care services in underserved areas. He also called for accountability among officials involved in the transfer, including Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and former PhilHealth chief Emmanuel Ledesma Jr., saying they should face possible plunder charges. Meanwhile, affiliates of the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition, who sent petitions to the Supreme Court, welcomed the funds’ remittance and also called on the government to appoint representatives of workers in government agencies. In a statement, the group said it wanted to see representatives of workers sit in agencies that include PhilHealth, Social Security System (SSS) and Pag-IBIG Fund. “The funds of PhilHealth, SSS and Pag-IBIG are not [the] government’s extra wallet. This is not merely [a] loose change in the national budget. These are workers’ contributions,” the groups said. They emphasized that “stronger workers’ representation” in government-owned and -controlled corporation boards would “help ensure transparency, accountability and proper use of social protection funds for health care, housing and social security.” “If workers’ money keeps the system running, then workers should have a seat in the boardroom — not just in the waiting room ... Because of the lack of representation, workers are always left behind in many issues,” Nagkaisa chairman Sonny Matula said in a statement.
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