Senior Finance Vice Chair Senator Pia S. Cayetano sought clarification on various health-related issues as she led the hearing on the proposed 2025 budgets of the Department of Health (DOH) and its attached agencies and corporations today, October 8.
During the hearing, Cayetano asked officials of the agencies to clarify several issues, including the pending health emergency allowances for healthcare workers, the low utilization rate of DOH’s health facility enhancement program, updates on immunization and reproductive health programs, healthcare workforce gaps, and PhilHealth’s recent fund transfers to the national treasury.
Cayetano particularly expressed concern over delays in the implementation of health infrastructure projects, as well as the slow rollout of PhilHealth’s Konsulta program, which has remained in partial implementation for years. Konsulta is Philhealth’s transitional benefit package for primary healthcare while they are still developing their comprehensive outpatient benefit package, as mandated by the Universal Health Care Act.
The Senator further called for a review of PhilHealth’s policies and case rates to make them more realistic and responsive to the needs of Filipino patients. She noted that some rates have remained the same for over a decade, emphasizing the need for a more thorough, evidence-based approach to adjusting such rates, rather than implementing across-the-board increases.
Cayetano stressed the importance of pushing for these initiatives, with the end goal of providing comprehensive healthcare coverage and reducing patients’ out-of-pocket expenses.
The Senator also voiced her concern about PhilHealth’s recent transfer of funds to the national treasury, despite the agency’s previous requests for additional funding. Pointing out that from 2021 to 2023, PhilHealth had asked for substantial budget increases from Congress for their benefit package improvements under the Universal Health Care Act, Cayetano said she was surprised that PhilHealth still transferred nearly Php 89 billion worth of unutilized funds to the national treasury.
“It’s very, very confusing to me how that happened,” Cayetano remarked, questioning why such funds were not used to expand healthcare benefits as originally intended.
Wrapping up the budget discussions, the Senator reaffirmed her commitment to improving the country’s healthcare system. She urged the concerned agencies to prioritize more sustainable and long-term initiatives to protect public health.
“Our goal should be to create a healthcare system that not only treats illnesses but actively promotes wellness,” the Senator stated.#
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