The House Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co, on Wednesday night terminated the briefing on the P303.6-billion proposed budget of the Department of Health (DOH) and its attached agencies for 2025, with lawmakers citing the agency for exceeding 31 out of its 37 performance targets.
Committee on appropriations senior vice chair and Marikina City Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo observed that many Filipinos do not avail of healthcare because of financial constraints.
“Sa kasalukuyan, ang pinakamalaking hadlang sa pagpunta sa isang medical facility o pagbisita sa doctor ay ang kakulangan ng budget; 44.4% ng kabuuang gastos sa kalusugan ay nagmumula sa mga out-of-pocket payments. Isang pagkakasakit lamang maaaring maubos ang ipon ng isang buong pamilya,” she said.
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa replied that the health sector aims to enhance the overall wellness of the population, as well as strengthen infrastructure, capacity and resilience of the health system to proactively anticipate and respond to health needs in crises, to realize the DOH vision that Filipinos are among the healthiest people in Southeast Asia by 2040.
To achieve this, he said the DOH will advance the 8-Point Action Agenda sa Bagong Pilipinas: Bawat Buhay Mahalaga.
“Our efforts focus on primary care, which include vaccination, nutrition, maternal health, water sanitation and hygiene, as well as the prevention and management of tuberculosis, road injuries and non-communicable diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes and cancer,” he said.
He added that DOH, as a cost-cutting measure, will invest in the digitalization of health services for accessibility and efficiency.
Quimbo considered the 97.3% obligation and 88.7% disbursement of the budget for its Health Facilities Operation Program as a showcase of the DOH’s commitment to improving access to health care. The program received the highest appropriation in 2023.
Herbosa also reported to the committee that the DOH created the Mpox Task Force last Aug. 27 to lead the overall national response for viral illness monkeypox (Mpox). It has also implemented a National Action Plan to control transmission of Mpox and maintain zero mortality from the illness.
He said the action plan includes 1) policy, 2) surveillance, 3) clinical and public health management, 4) testing, 5) prevention, and 6) governance and financing.
He said that there are eight Mpox cases in the country, seven of these are males and one female, their ages ranging from 12 to 37 years old. Geographically, he said six come from Quezon City and two are from Calabarzon. All are primarily in home isolation.
AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee asked how much is the investible fund of the Philippine Health Insurance Cop. (PhilHealth), recalling that last year, he raised the same question and was told that PhilHealth had P466-billion in investible funds.
“Ngayon matapos ang isang taon, gusto kong malaman magkano na ba ang total investible fund ng PhilHealth. Magkano ang expected na kikitain nila ngayong taon, at magkano ang subsidy na binibigay ng gobyernona galing sa sin taxes? Kung di ako nagkakamali ayon sa batas, may computation po ito taon taon, galing sa tobacco at sweetened beverages, at sa PAGCOR at PCSO. Magkano ang ibibigay na subsidy next year ng gobyerno,” Lee asked.
PhilHealth senior vice president for finance Renato Limsiaco Jr. said the investment fund of PhilHealth as of June 2024 is P504 billion.
“This is composed of treasury bills, treasury bonds, of course corporate bonds, time deposits and special savings deposits, Madam Chair. As to the budget request of PhilHealth, batay sa NEP ay mayroon na po tayong P74-billion, P21.16-billion ay PAGCOR and PCSO, and P53-billion from sin taxes,” he said.
Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas queried about the budget decrease for specialty hospitals for children.
Herbosa explained that if there are unfinished capital outlay or infrastructure projects of children’s medical center this year, this will be continued next year.
“The operating expenses (under MOOE) were increased by 25%. In effect you compare GAA to NEP parang bumagsak kasi hindi na kasama ung capital outlay na nakalagay doon sa 2024 kasi hindi na namin ilalagay sa 2025. Tumaas pa ng 26 percent (ang PCMC) so I’m comparing NEP to NEP. That means dadami pa ang mga pera for the services. Sa PCMC it’s the same, hindi siya bumaba. The NEP for 2024 is P1.4-billion, the NEP for 2025 is P1.4-billion. So equal lang siya,” he said.
The DOH budget sponsors are Quimbo, Reps. Janette Garin, Angelica Natasha Co, Ma. Lucille Nava and Maria Rachel Arenas.
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