Manoy Wilbert “Wise” Lee questioned the removal of government subsidy for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in the 2025 General Appropriations Bill recently approved by the Bicameral Conference Committee.
According to Lee, the decision will worsen the burden of direct contributors and affect the beneficiaries of the subsidy such as indigents, senior citizens, unemployed persons with disabilities (PWDs), and financially incapable Point-of-Service patients, among others.
“Malinaw na salungat ito sa layunin ng Universal Health Care (UHC) Law. Taumbayan na naman ang kawawa dito na ang puno’t dulo ay ang kakuparan at kapalpakan ng ilan na dapat mangasiwa sa paggamit ng pondong nandyan na para mabawasan ang pangamba ng mga Pilipino lalo na sa kanilang kalusugan. Paano na ang mahihirap nating kababayan na tumatamasa ng benepisyo mula sa subsidiyang ito?” the Bicolano lawmaker asked.
“Mahigit isang taon na natin itong ipinaglalaban. Pero kung manhid at nagbibingi-bingihan ang mismong pinuno ng DOH na si Secretary Ted Herbosa, na siya ring Chairperson ng Benefits Committee at PhilHealth Board, talagang magiging usad-pagong ang mga dagdag benepisyong ipinangako nila sa Kongreso at sa taumbayan,” he lamented.
It can be recalled that Lee also opposed the transfer of PhilHealth’s P89.9 billion excess funds to the National Treasury.
Lee was the first to expose in 2023 that PhilHealth had enormous available funds amounting to P466 billion investible funds and P68.4 billion net income, stressing that these should be used to expand health benefits and lower the premium contribution.
“Ang pondo para sa kalusugan ay dapat gamitin para sa kalusugan. Hindi ito dapat gamitin sa mga proyekto na di kasing halaga ng kalusugan ng ating mga kababayan, o sa mga proyektong wala namang mamamatay kung hindi gagawin,” the solon from Bicol earlier stressed.
“Nasaan ang hustisya kung taumbayan ang magdurusa at mapagkakaitan ng benepisyo sa kasalanan at mga pagkukulang ng mga ahensya na may mandatong pagaanin ang pasanin ng mga Pilipino sa kanilang gamot at pagpapagamot. Walang karapatang manatili sa gobyerno ang walang pakialam sa hirap at pangambang araw-araw hinaharap ng milyon-milyon nating mga kababayan,” the lawmaker remarked.
A staunch health advocate, Lee persistently pushed for the 30% increase in PhilHealth benefits which was implemented last February 14. PhilHealth’s benefit package for hemodialysis was also expanded from P2,600 to P6,350 per session and from 90 sessions per year to 156 sessions annually, as well as the breast cancer treatment coverage which increased from P100,000 to P1.4 million.
The Bicolano lawmaker is also the first to expose in 2023 that PhilHealth had enormous available funds amounting to P466 billion investible funds and P68.4 billion net income, stressing that these should be used to expand health benefits and lower the premium contribution.
Last September 25, Lee was able to secure the commitments from the Department of Health (DOH) and PhilHealth to provide a comprehensive plan to lower the out-of-pocket medical expenses of Filipinos. He spearheaded the initiative for free optometric services and free eyeglasses, and is also pushing for free diagnostic tests such as Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan, Computed Tomography (CT) scan and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as part of outpatient services, at least 80% coverage for cancer treatments and heart procedures, and another round of 50% increase in PhilHealth benefits.
“Karapatan at deserve ng Pilipino ang sapat na pondo para ipatupad ang de-kalidad, maaasahan at mapagmalasakit na serbisyong pangkalusugan. Hindi magbabago ang paninindigan natin: Dapat palawakin at dagdagan pa ang mga benepisyong pangkalusugan hanggang sa maging libre na ang gamot at pagpapagamot ng bawat mamamayan,” he added.
