Petitioners who questioned the transfer of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) P60 billion to the National Treasury welcomed the Supreme Court (SC) decision voiding the fund transfer, calling the ruling a victory for Filipinos who depend on the state health insurer.
The group — composed of former senator Aquilino Pimentel III, various labor and medical organizations, Bayan Muna leaders, the 1Sambayan Coalition, members of the UP College of Law Class of 1975, and several healthcare workers — earlier assailed Special Provision 1(d), Chapter XLIII of the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA), along with Department of Finance Circular No. 003-2024.
In a statement released by former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, one of the petitioners, the group said the ruling “ensures that PhilHealth funds remain exclusively for healthcare services and are protected from diversion.”
“This ruling is a win for every Filipino who relies on an adequately funded and functioning PhilHealth,” they added.
The petitioners also thanked the high court for affirming that public health funds “must be safeguarded, transparent, and used solely for the people’s benefit.”
The SC on Wednesday struck down Special Provision 1(d) of the 2024 GAA, which had authorized the return of “fund balance” or excess reserve funds of government-owned or -controlled corporations to the National Treasury. The court said the provision was ambiguous, noting that the term “fund balance” was not defined in the GAA.
PhilHealth remitted P60 billion to the National Treasury in compliance with the GAA and the DOF circular, which ordered the transfer of P89.9 billion in unused funds. Of this, P60 billion had already been turned over when the petition was filed.
With the ruling, the P60 billion must now be returned to the state health insurer.
