House panel halts DOH budget hearing as solons question HFEP fund share

MANILA, Philippines — The House committee on appropriations on Monday suspended deliberations on the proposed 2021 budget of the Department of Health as lawmakers questioned its allocation of funds under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP).

Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Mike Defensor questioned the allocation of HFEP funds to barangays, with some barangay health centers getting as low as P50,000 a year for the upgrading and enhancement of their facilities.

He said that with a whopping budget every year for HFEP, he could not see any change in the healthcare sector, especially in the barangay level.

“May nakita ba tayong changes in what is happening in the health care sector? Every year, we will be spending P20 billion for the Health Facilities Enhancement Program,” the lawmaker said.

He pointed out that people would often choose private hospitals over public health facilities because the country’s barangay health centers and rural health units as well as public hospitals still have inadequate equipment and amenities.

“Hindi pa malakas ang level 1 and level 2 hospitals natin so ibig sabihin, kapag nagkasakit ka, hindi kaya ng isang barangay, which is more likely the case, maraming kasong ganyan, pupunta ka na sa private hospital,” Defensor said.

Laguna 1st Dist. Rep. Dan Fernandez asked the DOH to explain their basis for the allocation of HFEP funds. Otherwise, he said, DOH can be misunderstood as favoring certain local government units (LGUs).

“This can be construed as prioritizing ‘yung mga barangay na malalakas sa DOH na kung saan sila muna ang binibigyan ng pondo,” he added.

Health Undersecretary Lilibeth David explained to lawmakers that in setting the HFEP budget for health centers, DOH prioritizes the procurement of its equipment and then the completion of its infrastructure.

The fund allocations were also based on the proposal of LGUs and DOH regional offices, David added.

But Defensor was unsatisfied with DOH’s explanation, prompting him to move for the suspension of the budget hearing.

“Without a plausible explanation, walang malinaw na pagpapaliwanag dito sa pondong ito, I move to suspend the approval of the budget of the DOH,” he said.

His motion was seconded by Aklan 2nd Dist. Teodorico Haresco, and eventually approved by the House panel.

The House panel is yet to set a date for the resumption of deliberations on the DOH budget.

KGA