Senator Pia Cayetano on Tuesday, November 4 urged lawmakers to ensure that the P60-billion budget returned to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) must be kept in the 2026 national budget.

As ordered by President Marcos, Cayetano said the President’s directive should not only be implemented, but because the law requires it.

“We must ensure that this directive is not left to pronouncements alone but enforced through the budget process, with every peso serving the health needs of our people,” Cayetano said.

The senator noted that the amount is already reflected in the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) of the House of Representatives and thus, it is imperative that it is retained in the final version of the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

“The inclusion of these funds in the budget is not a matter of discretion or politics: it is a matter of compliance with the law,” she stressed.

The lawmaker noted that under the Universal Health Care Act and the Sin Tax Reform Laws of 2012 and 2019, a fixed share of sin tax revenues is earmarked for PhilHealth to fund universal health care.

She pointed out that these provisions are reinforced by Article VI, Section 29 (3) of the Constitution, which mandates that taxes collected for a special purpose be used solely for that purpose.

“These laws make it clear that funds from sin taxes must go to health. Diverting or withholding them is a violation of the law,” Cayetano said.

“Keeping the ₱60 billion in the GAA is not optional; it is a legal and moral obligation to the Filipino people,” she further reiterated.

Cayetano said the government’s goal should always be to strengthen PhilHealth’s capacity to deliver on its mandate.

“Every peso invested in healthcare is an investment in the lives and future of our people,” she said.