MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ordered the Department of Health (DOH) to make sure that the delivery of PhilHealth’s services would be unhampered.
The Chief Executive made the statement after the state insurer received zero government subsidy for fiscal year 2025.
“Make sure that services of PhilHealth remain unhampered … it (zero budget) should not affect the delivery of healthcare services,” President Marcos said during a meeting at Malacañang.
President Marcos reiterated the administration’s commitment to prioritizing social services in the 2025 national budget, which will focus on education, health, economic services, infrastructure and agriculture.
PhilHealth has earlier said its war chest is sufficient to bankroll any additions to or expansion of its benefit packages that Filipinos can avail for their health and medical needs despite having zero government subsidy for this year.
The organization has an authorized corporate operating budget of P271 billion for this year to cover expenses for members’ benefits, according to PhilHealth senior vice president for fund management Renato Limsiaco Jr.
Meanwhile, President Marcos also urged DOH to shift the agency’s focus from cure to prevention, stressing that “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound in cure.”
The Chief Executive also pointed out the importance of digitalizing the DOH to enhance the delivery of its services./PN
