• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Senator Juan Victor Ejercito yesterday called on the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to explain why its funds have not been properly utilized, since they still have excess funds amounting to P89.9 billion.
This is a significant oversight on the part of PhilHealth as many hospitals remain unpaid, according to Ejercito.
The national government must ensure that a portion of unused funds from PhilHealth should be used to prioritize health sector programs and projects, he added.
Ejercito further said that funds for public health should be used for health programs. As a sponsor of the UHC Act, he believes that we need to expand the health benefit packages of the program and lower the premium rate of PhilHealth.
The UHC Act remains our best hope to bring quality health care to every Filipino, which is why we are advocating for the swift passage of its amendments in the Senate, he added.
Ejercito said he is also confident that Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, as principal author of the Universal Health Care Law, will ensure that the unused funds will be properly allocated for the health sector.
UHC automatically enrolls all Filipino citizens in the National Health Insurance Program and prescribes complementary reforms in the health system.
In a statement, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said the government cannot afford to let government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) have excess money and just keep it idle, as such funds could be used instead for public investment.
“Hibernating funds can help the nation without harming government corporations. This way, the government does not have to inflict additional taxes, increase our debt and put pressure on our deficit,” Recto said.
Recto argued that such a move will not affect the viability of PhilHealth or impair its delivery of services.*
