Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, is to lead a year-end hearing today, December 18, into PhilHealth, specifically regarding its unresolved issues. The agenda looks into the promised reforms and the worrisome suggestion of giving the agency a zero allotment for government subsidy in 2025.
The senator, long an advocate for reforms in support of the health sector, highlighted the need for PhilHealth to be held accountable for what it ceded as shortcomings, branding the current situation as a “double black-eye” for the agency. “This hearing seeks to investigate how far PhilHealth has come–or not–and push for concrete actions that will aid the ordinary Filipinos,” he said.
The senator identified PhilHealth’s remaining PHP 500 billion in reserves that it had failed to deploy to serve Filipinos’ healthcare needs. Under controversy is the latest order to transfer PHP 89.9 billion from PhilHealth’s excess funds to the national treasury, on which PHP 29.9 billion had been stalled following a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court.
Adding further alarm is the notion of cutting off government subsidies to PhilHealth for the year 2025, which particularly concerns indigent patients who are benefiting from its programs. Senator Go called the proposal “not acceptable and anti-poor,” warning that the plight of the underprivileged will only worsen.
As chair of the Senate Health Committee, Senator Go has always supported expanded healthcare services and benefits. His efforts include additional coverage for mortality-related diseases, free medicines, assistive devices, and fairer premium contributions for members.
Senator reiterated his commitment to ensure that PhilHealth lives to its mandate. “People deserve better. This hearing is about accountability and ensuring that every centavo going into healthcare is spent on the welfare of Filipinos”.
The Senate hearing, therefore, is expected to open a forum on critical issues and chart directions for reform in health insurance in the country.
