Senate President Escudero cuts PhilHealth's 2025 budget subsidy

Senate President Francis Escudero announced on Thursday that the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will receive no subsidy in the 2025 national budget due to its own failures.

Despite having P600 billion in reserve funds, PhilHealth has not provided necessary health benefits to Filipinos and is being held accountable for past lapses, according to Escudero.

Escudero assured that PhilHealth can still fully function without the subsidy, citing the corporation's substantial reserves.

The Senate President emphasized that under the Universal Healthcare Law, PhilHealth has a 'No Balance Billing' mandate but this is not being implemented on the ground, questioning why more funds should be allocated if they are not used effectively.

Several senators have expressed concerns over the zero subsidy decision, with Senator Risa Hontiveros calling it unfair and potentially unconstitutional for denying Filipinos their right to health care.