The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) received an additional P16.5 billion in funding for 2026 after the bicameral conference committee approved adjustments to the proposed national budget.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian confirmed the increase during a bicameral meeting early Thursday morning.
Gatchalian said the adjustment was intended to address a deficiency in PhilHealth’s earmarked revenues from sin taxes.
The bicameral panel had initially approved a P103.2-billion budget for PhilHealth, which rose to P129.7 billion following the adjustment.
“The funding source for this will be the generated savings from the updated revised CMPD Factor in the [Department of Public Works and Highways],” Gatchalian said.
He earlier noted that PhilHealth’s earmarked allocation under the 2026 budget stood at only P53.2 billion.
According to Gatchalian, the additional P16.5 billion will help complete the more than P69 billion in funding that should be provided to PhilHealth.
The amount forms part of the P20.7 billion in savings generated from recalculated costs of Department of Public Works and Highways projects.
The remaining P4.2 billion from the DPWH savings will be allocated to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund.
The fund is intended to provide assistance to communities affected by typhoons, earthquakes, and other natural disasters.
