SEN. Bong Go has renewed his call for the full return of funds previously taken from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), stressing that money earmarked for health services must be used exclusively for that purpose.
Go agreed that revenues from so-called sin taxes alone cannot support Universal Health Care.
During recent discussions, the senator reiterated his position that earmarking allocations under existing laws must be strictly observed. “During the budget deliberations last year, I reiterated my call to provide PhilHealth with the proper earmarking mandated by existing laws. If the earmarkings in our sin tax laws were strictly honored and implemented, more PhilHealth programs could have been carried out,” Go said.
He warned against the commingling or diversion of PhilHealth resources, pushing back against the characterization of withdrawn amounts as surplus funds. “PhilHealth funds should only be used for PhilHealth. The health fund is for health,” he said.
To illustrate the inadequacy of PhilHealth coverage, Go cited hospital billing examples drawn from actual cases. He detailed the experience of a provincial health officer in Camarines Norte, whose hospital bills reached nearly P10 million, while PhilHealth coverage amounted to only P57,000.
“That means PhilHealth only answered less than 1 percent,” he said.
While acknowledging recent adjustments to PhilHealth case rates, Go questioned their real impact on patients’ financial burden. He noted that even with a reported 50-percent increase, the additional coverage would still account for less than 1 percent of the total hospital costs in the cited case.
He said the 2025 budget deliberations underscored the need for heightened vigilance to ensure that legally mandated health allocations are not sidelined. He pointed to the human consequences of inadequate coverage, noting that fear of mounting hospital bills often discourages patients from seeking timely medical care.
Looking ahead to the 2026 national budget, Go acknowledged steps taken to partially address the funding gap. He cited the inclusion of a P16-billion allocation that would cover part of PhilHealth’s deficit.
Go said the amount remains below what existing laws mandate for the state insurer.
He urged Congress to ensure that health-related earmarkings are fully delivered in the coming years and emphasized that partial restitution of previously withdrawn funds does not resolve the underlying issue.
Go called for sustained oversight of PhilHealth’s finances, underscoring their direct impact on patients’ ability and willingness to seek medical care.
