PhilHealth denies P138 million Christmas party budget

Inquirer file photo

MANILA, Philippines — PhilHealth has denied claims that it allocated nearly P138 million for a Christmas party, clarifying that the budget is for its anniversary celebration next year.

The agency responded to a social media post by Dr. Tony Leachon, who shared a screenshot of a PhilHealth document showing a P137.7 million budget for items like coffee table books, newspaper ads, building decorations, tokens, giveaways, and commemorative medals.

In Leachon’s first Facebook post at 9:26 a.m. on Friday, he alleged that the document was “for [a] Christmas party.”

“This is to clarify Dr. Tony Leachon’s post on his social media account maliciously accusing PhilHealth of excessive budget for its Christmas party. It is unfortunate that he is misinformed,” the government-owned health insurer said in a statement Friday night.

On Friday morning, Dec. 13, Leachon posted on Facebook a screenshot of a supposed PhilHealth document showing a P137,766,032 budget for various items including coffee table books, newspaper features, building displays, tokens, giveaways and commemorative medals.

His original Facebook post at 9:26 a.m. alleged it was “for [a] Christmas party.”

“Zero budget para sa PhilHealth. Abusado [ang PhilHealth] leadership team for not using funds wisely!” Leachon captioned his initial post. “Kapal lang talaga pagmumukha nila. Ayaw ipa-resign ng Congress and Senate. Happy together. Good luck. So, the people are suffering.”

(Zero budget for PhilHealth. The Philhealth leadership team is abusive for not using funds wisely! … They had the nerve. Congress and the Senate won’t make them resign. Happy together. Good luck. So the people are suffering.)

READ: PhilHealth has zero subsidy for 2025 due to P600B reserve funds

Leachon, however, edited his Facebook post at 4:29 p.m. on Friday to say it was “for [the] PhilHealth anniversary.”

Leachon’s social media post has garnered more than 18,000 shares on Facebook as of this writing.

But according to PhilHealth, “The breakdown of expenses posted by Dr. Leachon, which is not yet final, is intended for the 30th anniversary celebration of PhilHealth in 2025, a milestone year.”

The corporation added that the festivities were in line with the observance of National Health Insurance Month every February as declared by Proclamation 1400 s. 2007.

“The approved activities are reasonable, budgeted following existing limits set by the Government, and will be procured under RA (Republic Act) 9184 [or the Government Procurement Reform Act],” PhilHealth said.

PhilHealth likewise defended the P137,766,032 allocation, saying the anniversary activities planned would “mount a meaningful observance of this milestone year” and “drum up interest” in healthcare reform.

“We wish to clarify that PhilHealth is fully complying with the directive of Malacañang to scale down agency celebrations for the Christmas season,” it added.

In November, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called on government agencies to avoid lavish Christmas parties this year in solidarity with victims of recent typhoons.

Last May, Leachon was slapped with a cyberlibel complaint by Bell-Kenz Pharma Incorporated when the health advocate accused the local pharmaceutical company of implementing a multi-level marketing scheme to push its products in a post on social media.