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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Rightly so': VP Sara talks return of P60B PhilHealth fund with dad Rody

'Rightly so': VP Sara talks return of P60B PhilHealth fund with dad Rody

Published Dec 7, 2025 01:33 pm
Vice President Sara Duterte and former president Rodrigo Duterte (Screengrab from Bong Go, Veronica Duterte Facebook pages)
Vice President Sara Duterte and former president Rodrigo Duterte (Screengrab from Bong Go, Veronica Duterte Facebook pages)
Vice President Sara Duterte said that the Philippine government must return the P60-billion in Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) funds that was earlier transferred to the National Treasury back to the state insurer.
The amount was part of the “excess” PhilHealth funds totaling P89.9 billion that the Department of Finance (DOF), then headed by current Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, intended to be moved to the treasury.
“The Supreme Court is the final arbiter of legal cases in our country. And if they say that it is unconstitutional, then it is. And then it should be returned,” the Vice President said during an exchange with supporters and the media in The Hague, Netherlands.
“Rightly so, because dapat ang pera ng PhilHealth ay binabalik or nire-reinvest balik sa health programs ng ating bansa (PhilHealth funds should be returned or reinvested to the country’s health programs),” she added.
Her remarks came after the Supreme Court unanimously voided the special provision allowing for the transfer of the excess PhilHealth funds to the national treasury to fund unprogrammed appropriations under the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Duterte shared that she has talked to former president Rodrigo Duterte about it, as well as the upcoming inauguration of the Bucana Bridge in Davao City on Dec. 15.
“Yes, okay lang naman yung bisita (the visit was okay). It was a good day today,” she shared.
“And we talked about the unconstitutionality of the transfer of the PhilHealth funds, 60 billion of it. And it was decided that it should be returned to PhilHealth,” the official added.
Of PhilHealth’s P89.9-billion excess funds, P20 billion was transferred to the treasury in May 2024, P10 billion in August, and P30 billion in October last year.
The remaining P29.9 billion was supposed to be transferred in November 2024, but the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order.

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VP Sara Duterte PhilHealth Supreme Court Rodrigo Duterte ICC
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