Aired (August 25, 2024): PhilHealth, may sobrang pondo na aabot ng 90 bilyong piso! Ang gusto ng gobyerno, maibalik ang pera sa National Treasury para mailaan sa proyektong pang-imprastraktura. Kaya ang tanong ng marami, ‘Bakit hindi na lang ilaan ang sobrang pera para pagbutihin pa ang serbisyong pangkalusugan?’
Si Secretary of Finance Ralph Recto, nakapanayam ni Jessica Soho.
Sama-sama nating usisain kung kailangan ba talaga ang realokasyon ng pondo sa ibang programa ng pamahalaan sa kabila ng kasalukuyang estado ng ating serbisyong pangkalusugan.
Panoorin ang video.
'Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho' is GMA Network's highest-rating magazine show. Hosted by the country's most awarded broadcast journalist Jessica Soho, it features stories on food, urban legends, trends, and pop culture. 'KMJS' airs every Sunday, 8:15 PM on GMA Network. Subscribe to youtube.com/gmapublicaffairs for our full episodes. #KMJS
Si Secretary of Finance Ralph Recto, nakapanayam ni Jessica Soho.
Sama-sama nating usisain kung kailangan ba talaga ang realokasyon ng pondo sa ibang programa ng pamahalaan sa kabila ng kasalukuyang estado ng ating serbisyong pangkalusugan.
Panoorin ang video.
'Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho' is GMA Network's highest-rating magazine show. Hosted by the country's most awarded broadcast journalist Jessica Soho, it features stories on food, urban legends, trends, and pop culture. 'KMJS' airs every Sunday, 8:15 PM on GMA Network. Subscribe to youtube.com/gmapublicaffairs for our full episodes. #KMJS
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FunTranscript
00:00There's a new issue with PhilHealth.
00:04This fund has an excess amount of 90 billion pesos.
00:10The government wants to return the money to the national budget.
00:15But some are protesting this because they don't want to use the excess money
00:22to improve the provision of health services, especially for the needy.
00:32On the side of the road in Cebu City, this woman was recently pregnant.
00:40According to witnesses, even though there was an ambulance, the woman did not join in.
00:47She also refused to be taken to the hospital because she was afraid that she would be missing.
00:53I called the ambulance, but they didn't come.
01:00Will she be able to save her baby?
01:04I don't want to go to the hospital.
01:11In fact, PhilHealth coverage should cover the needy,
01:17but it's hard to imagine that even if she goes to the hospital, she will benefit from PhilHealth.
01:24PhilHealth, which provides universal health coverage for Filipinos,
01:31has an excess amount of money.
01:35The excess amount of money is almost 90 billion pesos.
01:41But instead of paying the PhilHealth fund directly for health-related projects,
01:47she will return the money to the government so that it can be paid to other agencies.
01:53The payment is too big.
01:55Why would she pay for infrastructure?
01:57Why would she get it from PhilHealth?
01:59It's really hard.
02:01There's no hope.
02:03The return of the PhilHealth fund to the government,
02:08is it legal or just?
02:10Especially for us Filipinos who need help for their well-being.
02:23One of those who hopes to benefit from PhilHealth is Alvelyn,
02:28who was recently confined by her son, Alvea, after he had a stroke.
02:33He said he had a sore throat.
02:35His face was itchy.
02:37He had a CT scan.
02:39He saw 24cc of blood in his brain.
02:43He was immediately given medication.
02:45Alvelyn hopes that she will get a big discount because she is a PhilHealth member.
02:51Especially the premium contribution of members like her,
02:55in February, there was an increase.
02:58It's in the law.
03:00By 2025, we should increase it to 5%.
03:04Every month, Alvelyn pays a premium pay of P500 that is deducted from her salary
03:11and P500 that is paid by her employer.
03:15But Alvelyn almost had a heart attack.
03:18Our running bill is P398,000.
03:20My running bill is P76,000.
03:23I just sat down.
03:25Is this the only thing that PhilHealth can give?
03:28Alvelyn's expenses will increase because she will need laboratory tests.
03:35The conventional angiogram is a bit expensive.
03:38We also don't know where to get it because I haven't been able to go back to work since my son was hospitalized.
03:43So when Alvelyn heard that PhilHealth has a lot of funds, she was asked.
03:49I'm here struggling in the hospital.
03:52I have a lot of expenses.
03:54Why don't they prioritize the patients?
03:59The PhilHealth or Philippine Health Insurance Corporation
04:03depends on 50 million Filipinos for their health insurance.
04:08Aside from the hospital bill discount,
04:11some qualified members are entitled to their medical services
04:16like dialysis for those with kidney disease
04:20and radiotherapy for those with cancer.
04:23There are also benefit claims for patients with stroke, newborn sepsis, and pneumonia.
04:29We expanded it from P28,000 to around P90,000 already.
04:36Ischemic stroke is from P28,000 to around P76,000.
04:40We increased the benefit of breast cancer from P100,000 to P1.4.
04:45These are big things, but for those who have nothing,
04:51it would have been better if the coverage would have increased
04:54or if the hospital would have been able to fully pay for the expenses,
04:59especially the PhilHealth fund.
05:01It's too much.
05:03Aside from the P90 billion, there's still a remaining P500 billion in PhilHealth.
05:09It's also in the law that we should have a so-called reserve fund.
05:14Because PhilHealth has too much funds,
05:16the Department of Finance issued a circular order
05:20ordering PhilHealth to return their excess funds to the National Treasury.
05:25To fund the ad program appropriations,
05:28Congress determined that there is another way,
05:33and this is by collecting the sleeping and unused money of the GOCC.
05:42But our concern here is, where can this program be used?
05:47Legally, you might have a better answer or solution,
05:54but morally, for me, this is unacceptable.
06:00The plan is to spend a large part of the funds for the government's infrastructure projects.
06:07Do you believe that this is legal?
06:09Yes. I won't do it if it's not legal.
06:12How about morally?
06:13Morally, giving 600,000 jobs, potentially,
06:19and saving the economy, I think that's very moral.
06:23This act was approved by the Philippine Medical Association
06:28and by six former secretaries of the Department of Health.
06:33This is contrary to the Universal Health Care Act of 2019.
06:38The transfer of PhilHealth funds is immoral.
06:41It's a theft.
06:42According to the law, any PhilHealth fund, if it's too much,
06:47you will only use it for two things.
06:49To increase the benefit of each patient.
06:52You've been robbed, you've been fooled.
06:55I feel that they are fooling the Filipinos.
06:58There should be a TRO.
07:00If not, every Filipino will be in trouble.
07:03The Philippine Medical Association immediately filed a Temporary Restraining Order, or TRO, to the Supreme Court.
07:11We contacted the Department of Finance.
07:14Finance Secretary Ralph Recto conducted an interview.
07:18Secretary Recto, first of all, please explain,
07:22why should the excess funds of PhilHealth be returned to the National Budget or Treasury?
07:30The Congress ordered us, in the General Appropriations Act of 2024,
07:35to review and look at the sleeping money in the GOCC,
07:40which is not profitable,
07:42and if there is excess, let's use it to fund the unprogrammed fund of the budget.
07:47For the many needs of the 115 million Filipinos,
07:52from health to education,
07:54let's make sure that our cash, our cash management,
07:57that we use it properly.
07:58I hope they will also think about the work of the Department of Finance.
08:01What we spend in a day, 15.8 billion pesos a day.
08:06What we collect in VWIS, tax and non-tax revenue, 11.8 billion a day.
08:13What we borrow every day, 4 billion a day.
08:17I don't want to add the debt of our country.
08:20I don't want to add the VWIS that the Filipinos will pay later.
08:25So if there is sleeping money there,
08:27and it can be used to fund, let's spend it properly.
08:30Why not?
08:31It is unconstitutional, it is illegal.
08:34The fund of Universal Health Care, if it is excess,
08:37cannot be taken by the government.
08:40Universal Health Care, I am the principal author of that.
08:43Actually, they also point that out to you.
08:45That's why maybe they are expecting you to be more in favor.
08:49Don't go back to the national government.
08:52Which I am in favor.
08:53That is also according to the law.
08:55But you are the one who is being a contrarian in this issue.
08:59Let's just say that I am a contrarian, but I am doing my duty.
09:03Is there a basis for the shouting of the contrarians in the return of money?
09:08That is our money.
09:10We did not get anything from that.
09:12We did not get the members' contribution.
09:15What was returned to the treasury are the subsidies from the national government
09:20that are not being spent by the Philippines.
09:22Yes, I am sure what people will say is,
09:24that is also funded by the government.
09:27Why make a distinction?
09:28That is also from the taxes.
09:30That is a subsidy or contribution from PhilHealth.
09:35As I said, we are 150 million.
09:38Our job in the DOF is to find a fund that will not add to the debt of the Philippines.
09:46If PhilHealth has a lot of funds,
09:48Can't they just reduce or add to the hospital bills of those in need?
09:58Correct.
09:59They will get a bigger discount.
10:02Can't they just do that?
10:04That is what they are doing now.
10:05Did PhilHealth's benefit package decrease?
10:08No, it increased by 30% across the board.
10:11Is mammogram free?
10:13That is why a lot of people have breast cancer,
10:15because the poor cannot afford it.
10:17How much is the colonoscopy?
10:18Php 30,000 for one CD.
10:20It is not free for everyone.
10:22But PhilHealth has a fund that is already there.
10:24Why didn't they use it?
10:25Can't it be that if there is an excess fund here,
10:28for example, if your market is excessive,
10:30can't you just put it aside so you can add what you need?
10:34For example, you need groceries.
10:36That kind of thinking.
10:37That's right.
10:38If your child suddenly gets sick,
10:40you can use your groceries for the sick.
10:43If you put it aside for the sick,
10:45and your child is not sick,
10:47you need to add food.
10:48You can't just put it aside for the food.
10:50So that is what you are doing.
10:52That's part of it.
10:53When PhilHealth's budget was excessively publicized,
10:57the Philippines' Private Hospitals Association immediately complained.
11:01Why would PhilHealth return the fund
11:04when they still owe money to private hospitals
11:08after receiving a huge discount
11:11on the hospitalization of some patients?
11:14Our estimate is around Php 4 to Php 6 billion.
11:18They still have that much money,
11:20yet they are struggling to pay us.
11:25Why is it like that?
11:26We have started paying all those.
11:28We have already paid a large percentage.
11:30But the health sector,
11:32understandably,
11:33as the kids say,
11:35they are biased for the health sector as well.
11:38Yes, that's a good question.
11:40Yes.
11:41We saw what happened during the pandemic.
11:45Our health sector is very challenged.
11:48There are a lot of needs.
11:50Why don't they just return the extra funds
11:54to the private sector?
11:56That's what we did first.
11:58We paid Php 27 billion to the frontliners of the pandemic.
12:02We should have increased the infrastructure.
12:05Even if you have PhilHealth,
12:06if there are no hospitals,
12:07will PhilHealth still spend?
12:09One of PhilHealth's programs
12:11is the so-called Consulta Package.
12:14It aims to provide free consultation and medicine in the barangay.
12:18This is what Danilo expects
12:20for his mother's maintenance medicine
12:23that has high blood.
12:24I don't have a job right now.
12:26But in the past few weeks,
12:28it has become difficult to get it
12:30from their health center
12:32in Barangay Malanday in Valenzuela.
12:34I don't have medicine.
12:36You said I don't have medicine.
12:38The LGU is now procuring for our own constituents
12:41that we will provide them with limited capacity.
12:44But there is no shortage.
12:46Maybe there is a shortage.
12:48But the Secretary is also saying
12:50that if it is returned to the national government,
12:52it will only be reduced
12:54when it comes to anti-flood projects.
12:57Why don't we just have health centers built?
13:01We will also do that.
13:03So in your defense, you're saying, Secretary,
13:05this is better management of the funds.
13:08Yes, but let's study.
13:09It's right.
13:10They should have a public forum.
13:12You can't get that
13:14because it's an earmark for prosperity.
13:16You can't use it to build bridges,
13:19buildings, roads.
13:21When will you be able to build a bridge?
13:23In 10 years.
13:24You're dying now.
13:26You should use PhilHealth
13:28to help people.
13:30Meanwhile, let's go back to the women in Cebu
13:33who refused to go to the hospital
13:35and were forced to give birth
13:37on the side of the road
13:39because they don't have money to go to the hospital.
13:44There are also medical workers and volunteers
13:47who responded,
13:48but the women still refused.
13:50The woman who refused to give birth on the side of the road
13:53and the baby she gave birth to
13:58both died.
14:13Where are you going?
14:14To the hospital.
14:15What?
14:17I'm going to die.
14:18I'm going to die.
14:19I'm going to die.
14:20Why?
14:21I'm going to die soon.
14:23It's hard to imagine
14:25that people are in debt
14:27when they go to the hospital.
14:29Some are suffering.
14:30Some are just dying.
14:32That is a basic human right.
14:34We should fight this.
14:36However,
14:37before the Temporary Restraining Order was passed,
14:4020 and 10 billion pesos were remitted
14:44to the National Treasury
14:46while the remaining 60 billion pesos
14:50will be returned next year.
14:53I appeal to you, President Bongbong Marcos,
14:57Secretary-Recto,
14:58stop transferring funds.
15:01Do what is right for the country.
15:03We respect the opinions of health advocates.
15:06I'm also a health advocate.
15:08It just so happens I'm the Secretary of Finance
15:10and the Congress has an order here
15:12that we have passed.
15:14It's really hard.
15:16There's no hope.
15:17How can we hope that the government will help us?
15:20If you're increasing the contribution,
15:23you should also increase the benefit.
15:26It's shocking to know
15:28that the government or its agencies
15:31still have a lot of funds.
15:33For example, PhilHealth.
15:35Let's see how hard the health sector
15:39has been through the COVID-19 pandemic
15:42and the increase of cases of leptospirosis and dengue.
15:47We have a lot of countrymen
15:49who can't afford to go to the hospital
15:52or just buy medicine.
15:54On the other hand,
15:55there are other needs
15:57that the government should also address.
16:00The Supreme Court is now deciding
16:03where the excess PhilHealth funds should go.
16:07However, it's good that this issue
16:10is being discussed by the public.
16:13Morally unacceptable.
16:15I think it's morally unacceptable
16:17to hide the economy.
16:19What's more,
16:21it's a matter of health and well-being,
16:23especially for those in need.
16:34Thank you for watching, Kapuso.
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