Five former health secretaries opposed the transfer of excess funds of PhilHealth to support other government priority programs and projects.
They were Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, Dr. Manuel Dayrit, Dr. Francisco Duque, Dr. Esperanza Cabral, Dr. Enrique Ona Jr., and Dr. Paulyn Jean Ubial.
In a letter to Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, they urged the Department of Finance to “be sensitive to public opinion and exercise prudence and caution by nor transferring the next tranche of funds and succeeding transfers.”
PhilHealth has already transmitted P20 billion to the National Treasury. Additional transfers are scheduled, including P10 billion on August 21, P30 billion on October 16, and another P30 billion on May 26, 2025.
“PhilHealth is a social health insurance system which operates on the principles of risk pooling. It is unique from other government-owned and -controlled corporations in that its funds belong to private members, whether direct or indirect contributors, and are not subject to the discretion of the government to use for other purposes,” their letter read.
“We believe that the government should not take back these subsidies or funds given to PhilHealth, as this violates the basic principles of an insurance system.”
The letter was also signed by 65 healthcare professional organizations, including the Philippine Medical Association, Philippine Physical Therapy Association, Inc., Philippine College of Physicians, Philippine Nurses Association, Philippine Pharmacists Association, Philippine Pediatric Society, and Philippine Heart Association among others.
