Groups Urge Supreme Court to Halt PhilHealth Fund Turnover

-


MANILA, Philippines — With the executive branch appearing reluctant to return P20 billion in unused subsidies remitted by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to the national treasury, various advocacy groups and budget watchdogs plan to seek intervention from the Supreme Court.


A diverse coalition, including members of the academic community, medical professionals, and other stakeholders, is set to challenge the contentious provisions of the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and the Department of Finance’s (DOF) Circular No. 003-2024. These directives require PhilHealth and other government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) to remit unutilized subsidies to the national treasury to fund unprogrammed appropriations.


Legal Challenge


During a press conference in Quezon City, former Finance Undersecretary Cielo Magno announced that they are finalizing the petition, which could be filed as early as Friday. Magno, who is also a professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman School of Economics, argued that Special Provision 1(d) under Chapter XLIII on Unprogrammed Appropriations in the 2024 GAA and the DOF circular are “rider” provisions, thus making them “illegal and unconstitutional.”


“A law should only have one subject. For the GAA, it should be about the budget. But this provision under the 2024 GAA effectively amends other laws, particularly the charters that created these GOCCs, including that of PhilHealth’s,” she explained.


Violation of Universal Health Care Act


Magno emphasized that remitting PhilHealth’s unutilized subsidies back to the treasury violates Section 11 of Republic Act No. 11223, or the Universal Health Care Act of 2019. This section stipulates that “the excess of the PhilHealth reserve fund shall be used to increase the program’s benefits and to decrease the amount of members’ contributions.”


The coalition’s move comes amid ongoing debates about the proper utilization of PhilHealth funds and the government's budget management practices. The outcome of this legal challenge could significantly impact the administration of health care funds in the Philippines.


Additional Insights


The issue has sparked discussions among lawmakers, with some expressing concerns about the financial management and transparency of PhilHealth. The directive to remit unused funds has been viewed by some as detrimental to the goal of enhancing health care benefits for Filipinos.


As the petition moves forward, stakeholders from various sectors are watching closely, anticipating how the Supreme Court will address these crucial issues concerning health care funding and governance.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Philippines Conducts Joint Patrols with US, Canada, and Australia

-
Image
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines commenced two days of joint maritime and aerial exercises with the United States, Canada, and Australia on Wednesday, as outlined in a joint statement, amid ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea with China. These operations, taking place "within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone," aim to demonstrate the collective commitment of the four nations to enhance regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. The exercises come at a time when China's aggressive posturing towards Taiwan and its claims over the South China Sea have raised concerns about a potential conflict that could involve the United States. China asserts sovereignty over the majority of the South China Sea, disregarding an international tribunal ruling that deemed its claims unfounded.  Last week, the Philippines conducted separate naval drills in the South China Sea, first with the United States and then with Japan tw...
Read more

DepEd Faces August Deadline to Fill Over 20,000 Teacher Vacancies

-
Image
M ANILA, Philippines —  With only a month left before the deadline, the Department of Education (DepEd) has filled just 9 percent of the 22,323 available teaching positions across the country. During an oversight hearing with the House committee on appropriations, Education Undersecretary for Human Resource and Organizational Development Wilfredo Cabral reported that approximately 22 percent of the vacancies are in various stages of the hiring process. "As of this date, we have filled 9 percent of these positions. Twenty-two percent of the total teaching items are already in different stages of appointment. We have also implemented a monitoring system for all regions to verify compliance," Cabral stated. Efforts to Address the Shortfall Cabral mentioned that last year, the DepEd issued a memorandum order instructing regional directors and schools division superintendents to create catch-up plans aimed at filling the vacant teaching positions. He emphasized that the department...
Read more

COA Flags Cebu City for Unused P1.4B Disaster Fund

-
Image
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Commission on Audit (COA) has raised concerns about Cebu City’s Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF). In its 2023 report, COA revealed that the city failed to utilize P1.456 billion from its disaster fund for the years 2022 and 2023. COA highlighted that this non-utilization undermines the fund’s purpose of bolstering disaster preparedness and response capabilities. The LDRRMF, intended to support disaster preparedness and mitigation projects, had P129,353,831.56 allocated in 2022 and an additional P1,455,856,661.59 in 2023. However, by the end of 2023, these funds remained largely unspent, with many projects still stuck in procurement or approval stages. This inaction has rendered the city’s annual investment plans ineffective, leaving it vulnerable to disasters. Legislative Framework and Fund Allocation Republic Act No. 10121, the “Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010,” mandates that at least five percent of...
Read more