President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the 2025 General Appropriations Act on Dec. 30, 2024. PHOTO: Official Facebook page of the Presidential Communications Office
MANILA, Philippines — Despite receiving zero subsidy from the 2025 national budget, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) services will not be hampered and will instead increase, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Monday.
In his speech during the ceremonial signing of the 2025 General Appropriations Act, Marcos said the government would ensure that PhilHealth benefits would expand further.
READ: Marcos signs P6.3 trillion 2025 national budget, vetoes P194 billion
In a press briefing after the signing, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin echoed Marcos’ promise, saying that the Office of the President would exhaust all remedies to sustain PhilHealth’s services.
“Sinabi ng ating Pangulo kanina na walang mababawas na benepisyo kundi magdagdagan pa. At, pinaliwanag ni [Finance] Secretary Ralph Recto ngayon, na ang PhilHealth ay maraming resources na maaari niyang gamitin sa pagpapalago ng benepisyo para sa mga kababayan natin,” Bersamin said.
(Our President said earlier that no benefits will be reduced; instead, these will be increased. Finance Secretary Ralph Recto also explained today that PhilHealth has numerous resources that it can utilize to expand the benefits for our fellow citizens.)
“‘Wag kayong mag-aalala, ang inyong Executive Branch ay maingat … mabusisi sa paggamit ng ating resources,” he added.
(Don’t worry, your Executive Branch is careful… thorough in the use of our resources.)
READ: DepEd, DPWH get highest 2025 budget allocation
The Department of Finance (DOF) would also monitor PhilHealth’s spending, Recto said.
He cited the approximately P280 billion in reserve funds, the P150-billion surplus, and over P400 billion in investments of the agency.
“They have adequate resources. Now, having said that, we in the Department of Finance, next year, we will focus on PhilHealth. We will make sure that we spend that budget better,” Recto said.
He said they would focus on the benefit package for the top 10 illnesses.
Marcos vetoed P194-billion line items from the initial P6.352-trillion proposed national budget, reducing it to P6.326 trillion.
The education sector has been allocated the largest cut from the budget, with funding amounting to P1.055 trillion.
It was followed by the Department of Public Works and Highways with P1.007 trillion.