Petisyon Inihain sa Korte Suprema Laban sa Paglipat ng Pondo ng PhilHealth

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MANILA, Philippines — Isang petisyon ang inihain sa Korte Suprema noong Biyernes ng ilang grupo at indibidwal na tutol sa paglipat ng P89.9 bilyon na sobrang pondo ng Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) sa unprogrammed appropriations sa pambansang budget.


Kasama sa mga nagpetisyon sina Senador Koko Pimentel, Ernesto Ofracio, Junice Lirza Melgar, Cielo Magno, Maria Dominga Cecilia Padilla, Dante Gatmaytan, Ibarra Gutierrez, Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa, Inc., Public Services Labor Independent Confederation Foundation, Inc., at Philippine Medical Association.


Pagkwestyon sa DOF Circular


Ang mga nagpetisyon ay kumukwestyon sa Department of Finance (DOF) Circular No. 003-2024, na nag-aatas sa paglipat ng mga hindi nagamit na subsidiya mula sa mga government-owned and controlled corporations, partikular na ang PhilHealth, sa pambansang treasury upang suportahan ang unprogrammed appropriations sa budget.


"Ipa-file natin ang kasong ito upang kwestyunin ang konstitusyunalidad ng DOF circular na kumukuha ng pondo mula sa PhilHealth at upang kwestyunin din ang probisyon sa General Appropriations Act ng 2024," ani Cielo Magno, dating undersecretary ng DOF, sa isang panayam bago isumite ang petisyon.


Legal at Etikal na Mga Isyu


Tinukoy ni Magno ang Special Provision 1(d) sa ilalim ng Chapter XLIII sa Unprogrammed Appropriations sa 2024 General Appropriations Act, na nagsasabing ang pondo ay dapat gamitin upang mapabuti ang benepisyo ng PhilHealth sa halip na ilipat sa pambansang treasury.


Ipinahayag ni Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa noong post-SONA discussions na ang sobrang pondo ng PhilHealth ay mananatili sa sektor ng kalusugan. Sinabi ni Herbosa na higit sa P20 bilyon ng P89.9 bilyon na sobrang pondo ay nagamit na para sa health emergency allowances (HEA) ng mga nagsilbi noong kasagsagan ng pandemya ng COVID-19.


Pagsunod sa Batas ng PhilHealth


Ayon kay Magno, hindi tama ang paggamit ng pondo ng isang ahensya para pondohan ang programa ng iba. "Napakalinaw sa PhilHealth law na ang pondo ay dapat gamitin upang palawakin ang coverage ng mga benepisyaryo o pababain ang premiums," sabi niya.


Dagdag pa niya na ang pagbabalik ng hindi nagamit na subsidiya ng PhilHealth sa Treasury ay paglabag sa Section 11 ng Republic Act No. 11223, o ang Universal Health Care Act of 2019, na nagsasaad na ang sobrang pondo ng PhilHealth ay dapat gamitin upang mapabuti ang mga benepisyo ng programa at mabawasan ang kontribusyon ng mga miyembro.


Sama-samang Paninindigan


Ayon kay Gillian Roque, chief of staff ng Public Services Labor Independent Confederation Foundation, Inc., mali ang rason na ginagamit upang ilipat ang pondo ng PhilHealth para sa HEA. "Wag nilang ipagsabong ang health insurance sa health emergency allowance na utang nila sa mga health workers na nagsilbi noong pandemya," sabi niya.


Ang mga nagpetisyon ay naninindigan na ang pagbabalik ng sobrang pondo ng PhilHealth sa Treasury ay salungat sa layunin ng mga pondong ito na mapabuti ang serbisyo sa kalusugan at magbigay ng pinansyal na kaluwagan sa mga miyembro ng PhilHealth.

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