Government to return P60 billion to PhilHealth funds
Around P60 billion excess funds that were transferred to the national treasury will be returned to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., according to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
Marcos announced this during his visit to Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, as reported by The Philippine STAR. In his remarks, he addressed concerns of the public that benefits provided by PhilHealth will be impacted due to the transfer of funds.
"Nung kinuha nung Department of Finance 'yung P60 billion na pera ng PhilHealth, na hindi naman nagagamit, ay dinala sa national government. Kahit anong paliwanag na ibigay namin, kahit anong pakita natin na dumadami ang serbisyo na kino-cover ng PhilHealth, may pangamba pa rin ang tao na baka mabawasan 'yung mga services," he said.
"We are talking about life and death issues here, so you cannot blame them na may pangamba sila na baka sa pagkuha nung P60 billion na dinala nga sa national government ay baka mabawasan ang services," he continued.
Marcos went on to highlight how the government was able to accumulate savings from various agencies, particularly from the Department of Public Works and Highways.
"'Yung P60 billion na yan, ibabalik na natin sa PhilHealth para hindi lamang para sa pangamba ng tao, kundi dahil gagamitin na natin 'yan para palawakin pa ang serbisyo ng PhilHealth," the chief executive said.
"'Yan ang aming patuloy na ginagawa para ang ating mga kababayan ay maramdaman naman nila na ang pamahalaan, DOH, lahat tayo, lahat ng mga health workers, at ginagawa ang lahat upang ang kanilang kalusugan at kanilang mga anak ay naaalagaan, naaalalayan," he continued.
The savings from the DPWH come after Marcos stated that flood control projects under the agency will have zero budget next year amid corruption concerns.
"We are already seeing na lahat ng flood control project na ilalagay sa 2026 budget, hindi na siguro kailangan. There will be no budget for 2026 flood control. Dahil mayroon naman P350 billion for 2025 na hindi pa nauubos talaga. So, tuloy-tuloy pa ‘yung trabaho," he said on his "BBM Podcast."
He clarified that flood control projects won't stop despite having zero budget for next year. The DPWH originally proposed a P274.9 billion budget for flood control projects in 2026.
The controversy involving the government's flood control projects began in July as the rains triggered massive flooding in the metro.
Hearings at the House of Representatives and the Senate revealed billions of pesos lost to corruption, which prompted the formation of the Independent Commission on Infrastructure that will specifically investigate irregularities in flood control projects in the last 10 years.
On Sept. 11, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon filed criminal complaints against officials of the Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office and four private contractors linked to such anomalies.
The government has also frozen the bank accounts of the contractors and DPWH officials with alleged involvement in the issue.
