Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (Facebook)

Here's one way that the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) can save millions of pesos for the benefit of over 20,000 dialysis patients. 

Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez advised the state health insurer on Sunday, Dec. 15 to drastically scale down its “extravagant” February 2025 anniversary celebration costing at least P138 million.

“Government agencies like PhilHealth should heed the appeal of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for austerity not only during the Christmas holidays but in the months ahead, in solidarity with Filipino families in many communities still suffering and recovering from the onslaught of recent super typhoons, and with poor Filipinos,” he said in a statement.

For the Mindanaoan, this planned anniversary celebration is wasteful since the bulk of the expenses would be devoted to giveaways like tokens, coffee table books, and similar disposable items.

“The P138 million Philhealth has budgeted for the event could better be used for patient dialysis. At the increased rate of P6,350 per session, P138 million could fund 21,732 dialysis treatments and benefit the same number of patients,” Rodriguez said.

He added that PhilHealth members would be more appreciative of spending the huge amount for their benefit instead of giveaways.

“Anong gagawin ng mga miyembro sa coffee table book o token? Mas kailangan nila ng subsidy sa dialysis, gamot, o hospitalization,” he stressed.

(What will the members do with a coffee table book or token? What they need more are subsidy for dialysis, medicines, and hospitalization.

Rodriguez defends Leachon

Rodriguez also accused PhilHealth officials of being “mentally dishonest” for labeling the revelation of Dr. Tony Leachon about the P138-million planned expenditure as “fake news".

“It is not fake news. Dr. Leachon was mistaken in saying the amount was for a Christmas party but later corrected himself that it was for next year’s anniversary celebration. But he was right about the spending plan, which PHilhealth officials themselves have admitted,” he said.

“Nagpapalusot lang sila (They're just making an excuse) by claiming it was fake news,” he said.

He suggested that of the budgeted amount of P138 million, P130 million should be spent for members’ benefits and P8 million for the anniversary celebration.

In calling for strict austerity on the part of PhilHealth, Rodriguez said it is especially more important for the state health insurer to conserve its resources now that Congress has scrapped the P74-billion national government subsidy President Marcos has proposed for it in the 2025 budget.

He said the subsidy is intended for the premium contribution of “non-contributory” members like the poor, senior citizens, those with disability, and other Filipinos who cannot pay for their health insurance and who are now covered by Philhealth under the Universal Health Care Act.