Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro Herbosa was ordered to ensure that the delivery of services by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is unhampered.
President Marcos made the directive during a meeting with some Cabinet members on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at the Malacañan Palace as he emphasized that the zero subsidy from the 2025 national budget should not affect the delivery of healthcare services.
"Make sure that services of PhilHealth remain unhampered... It (zero budget) should not affect the delivery of healthcare services,” Marcos instructed Herbosa during the meeting.
At the signing of the 2025 national budget in December last year, the President assured PhilHealth will continue to provide uninterrupted services despite receiving zero subsidy from the budget.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Marcos urged Herbosa to shift the DOH’s focus from cure to prevention, stressing that “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound in cure.”
The President also underscored the importance of digitalizing the DOH to enhance service delivery and efficiency.
Marcos also reiterated the administration’s commitment to prioritizing social services in the 2025 national budget, focusing on key sectors such as education, health, economic services, infrastructure and agriculture.