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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Pimentel: Best if PBBM stops PhilHealth fund transfer

Pimentel: Best if PBBM stops PhilHealth fund transfer

Published Aug 4, 2024 10:20 am

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said he believes President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. can easily halt the transfer of P89.9-billion from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

 

But Pimentel said he hopes Marcos would intervene at the soonest time possible as he reiterated that the move is illegal and unconstitutional. 

 

Last Friday, Pimentel, doctors and public health advocates trooped to the Supreme Court to file a petition for a temporary restraining order (TRO)  against the Department of Finance (DOF) Circular No. 003-2024, which ordered the transfer of billions of unused PhilHealth funds for “unprogrammed appropriations.”

 

“If we will have to wait for the next SONA (State of the Nation Address) that’s too long,” Pimentel said in an interview over Radio DZBB on Sunday, August 4.

 

“But that’s right, that’s the easiest and fastest route. The government shouldn’t target PhilHealth funds and execute the legal basis they were saying to other GOCCs (government owned and controlled corporations),” he said. 

 

As far as he is concerned, Pimentel said they find the arbitrary sweeping of idle funds among GOCCs a new thing or a “new invention.”

 

“The government believes, the DOF believes that what they are doing is legal, we believe otherwise. It’s against the Constitution,” he said adding that utilizing PhilHealth funds for other programs is already a “moral issue.”

 

“The Courts will eventually decide. But if they really love the people that they wish to help, then can find and sweep idle funds from other GOCCs, but not PhilHealth funds,” he pointed out. 

 

Among the issues the petitioners told the SC was the government’s sudden transfer of nearly P90-billion of its funds to the National Treasury despite the state health insurer’s glaring “lack of financial resources.”

 

The Senator pointed out that these unused funds are pooled from members’ contributions—whether direct or indirect—Congress, DOF and PhilHealth. 

 

Pimentel reiterated that using these funds to fund other items would deprive the Filipino people access to quality and affordable health care goods and services.

 

“That’s why we are asking for the issuance of a TRO while the case is being heard. So that the situation would not turn for the worse,” he said.

 

“And if the Court is done scrutinizing it, and if the decision is in our favor, they should return the P20-billion to PhilHealth,” the lawmaker stressed.

Related Tags

Supreme Court (SC) PhilHealth fund transfer koko pimentel
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