Rep. Janette Garin 鈥擨nquirer file photo
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Several lawmakers have claimed that individuals on social media鈥攊ncluding a well-known physician鈥攁re supposedly misinforming the public about the state of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) for 2025, along with its other programs.
In her privilege speech during the House of Representatives session on Monday, Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin claimed that there are some individuals who 鈥渓ove chaos and cannot live if they don鈥檛 create chaos.鈥�
Garin was referring to discussions about PhilHealth鈥檚 project with Tingog party-list and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP)鈥攖he Maalagang Republika: Rural Financing Health Development Program鈥攚hich was deemed by some as possibly electioneering.
READ: Dela Rosa questions PhilHealth-DBP-Tingog agreement
鈥淭hey say allocate funds for the budget; we do not need a MOA. Mr. Speaker, distinguished colleagues, did we see the trillions needed to establish healthcare facilities all over our country? If we wait for that to finish with government funding, many will die because we cannot complete this in the immediate vicinity,鈥� Garin said.
READ: Tingog to only help, empower LGUs in PhilHealth-DBP program 鈥� Acidre
鈥淚t is not stated that we cannot help people. Those who are noisy and those who claim to be experts, I dare them to come out in the open and do the tasks and address the gaps we face at the present,鈥� she added.
READ: PhilHealth has zero subsidy for 2025 due to P600B reserve funds
Garin did not directly mention who the person was, but her presentation before the House showed social media posts from Dr. Tony Leachon, former adviser of the task force that managed the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the posts shown by Garin, Leachon asked why Tingog is partnering with PhilHealth, noting that the program might be unconstitutional.
Concerns about the partnership came out first when Senator Ronald 鈥淏ato鈥� dela Rosa, in a privilege speech last Wednesday, questioned the legality of the agreement.
According to Dela Rosa, it should be the Department of Health (DOH)鈥攚hich has the mandate to provide technical assistance, consultation, and advisory services to stakeholders regarding health facility regulation鈥攐r the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) that partners with PhilHealth.
Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, however, assured the public that their organization鈥檚 role in this program is only to assist and capacitate local government units (LGUs), in a bid to make healthcare accessible to more people.
On zero subsidy
Acidre meanwhile also called out individuals supposedly spreading lies about the zero-subsidy given to PhilHealth for the 2025 proposed national budget.
According to Acidre, people should stop telling lies that PhilHealth has no budget, as it still has around P600 billion in reserve funds.
鈥淚 will tell those who spread fake stories. Please have pity on the people. Think of it as your Christmas gift. Please stop telling lies,鈥� he said.
La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V meanwhile said those spreading the claims may be 鈥渂itter鈥� as they are not PhilHealth members.
鈥淭hose spreading fake news鈥攖hey might not even be PhilHealth members. That鈥檚 why you should stop your foolish activities,鈥� he said.
Earlier, Acidre said that assisting PhilHealth members and beneficiaries would not stop, as the state-run insurer鈥檚 funds can last up to two years.
The lawmakers鈥� responses came after several netizens feared that getting sick in 2025 would be costly, as the bicameral conference committee that tackled the 2025 budget removed over P70 billion worth of government subsidies to PhilHealth.
However, bicam members clarified that this was done because the state-run insurer still has P600 billion in reserve funds.
Despite these fears, the Department of Health (DOH) has assured the public that services would still be available since PhilHealth currently has a P150-billion surplus from its 2024 budget even if it was given zero subsidy in 2025.
Still, the think-tank group Social Watch Philippines believes this zero subsidy is 鈥渁n insult鈥� to all PhilHealth members, as it demonstrates a 鈥渄isregard鈥� for the Universal Health Care (UHC) and Sin Tax Laws.
鈥淭he zero budget allocation for the premium contributions of indirect contributors, which includes senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and poor and vulnerable Filipinos, is a clear manifestation of the state鈥檚 abandonment of its duty towards the fulfillment of a genuine UHC,鈥� Social Watch said in a statement.