Members of Cebu progressive groups rallied at the PhilHealth regional office in Cebu City, demanding the restoration of the state health insurer’s 2025 subsidy. | Contributed Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Progressive groups rallied at the PhilHealth regional office on Thursday to demand the restoration of the state health insurer’s subsidy for 2025.
The demonstrators, led by Partido Manggagawa (PM), also called President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to reverse budget cuts to critical social services, including health, welfare, and labor.
‘Don’t be a Scrooge’
In a press release dated December 26, 2024, Alan Esponja, Vice President of PM Cebu, urged the President to heed the people’s clamor. He also criticized the removal of the subsidy as unjust during the holiday season.
“President Marcos Jr., do you hear the people’s demand? Restore the PhilHealth subsidy and social services budget as a Christmas gift to workers and the people. Do not be a Scrooge by affirming the flawed 2025 budget,” Esponja said.
Some demonstrators from groups such as Sentro, YOUTH CLAIM, and PAGLAUM gathered at Skytower on N. Escario corner Acacia Street at 1:30 p.m. to denounce the zero allocation for PhilHealth in the General Appropriations Act of 2025.
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Esponja questioned the President’s recent pronouncement that PhilHealth’s services would remain unaffected. He argues that the public expects improvement in benefits and services.
“In 2025, we hope to see a 50% increase in PhilHealth coverage — as was discussed in the budget deliberations and promised by Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa,” he added.
Wider budget cuts spark outrage
The protesters also criticized the slashing of budgets for other key agencies, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Education (DepEd), and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
In a related protest on December 18, members of the “Nagkakaisang Mamamayan para sa Pangkalahatang Pangkalusugan” coalition marched to Mendiola in Manila to demand the veto of the approved 2025 budget and reforms in PhilHealth.
Moreover, PM and Sentro reiterated their call for the resignation of Health Secretary Herbosa and the PhilHealth board, accusing them of inefficiency and broken promises.
The groups opposed the transfer of P90 billion in PhilHealth’s excess funds to the National Treasury, which they are challenging in the Supreme Court through the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition.
Previously, President Marcos defended the removal of PhilHealth’s P74.4-billion subsidy. He cited the insurer’s P500-billion reserves as sufficient to sustain operations. He explained:
“We do not want to subsidize [PhilHealth] because the subsidy will only sit on PhilHealth’s bank account; it will not be used, which can be used for something else,” he said.
Marcos added that the real issue lies in PhilHealth’s limited processing capacity, which has caused inefficiencies in claim settlements.
He pointed to digitization as the solution to streamline operations and ensure faster service delivery.
Despite criticism, the President clarified that he is “not yet at the point” of vetoing line items in the bicameral-approved 2025 budget, which he is expected to sign on December 30.