By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Reporter
THE PHILIPPINE Well being Insurance coverage Corp. (PhilHealth) will proceed with the scheduled switch of the remaining P29.9 billion in extra funds to the Treasury in November regardless of questions over its constitutionality, Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto mentioned.
“Sure, [the third tranche of] extra funds had been remitted to the Treasury yesterday (Oct. 16). There’s a scheduled remittance in November,” Mr. Recto informed BusinessWorld in a Viber message.
He was referring to the P30 billion remitted by PhilHealth to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) on Wednesday.
The final tranche, amounting to P29.9 billion, will probably be transferred to the BTr in November. PhilHealth beforehand remitted P20 billion on Could 10 and P10 billion on Aug. 21.
This comes regardless of a petition filed on Wednesday by 1SAMBAYAN Coalition and different teams searching for to halt the switch of PhilHealth’s extra funds to the Treasury.
The petitioners mentioned the fund transfers violated Article VI, Part 25 (5) of the Structure. Beneath the Constitution, “no legislation shall be handed authorizing any switch of appropriations.”
“Nonetheless, the President, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the Home of Representatives, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Courtroom, and the heads of Constitutional Commissions could, by legislation, be approved to enhance any merchandise within the normal appropriations legislation for his or her respective places of work from financial savings in different gadgets of their respective appropriations.”
Separate petitions questioning the fund transfers had been filed by Senate Minority Chief Aquilino Martin D. Pimentel III and former Finance Undersecretary Ma. Cielo D. Magno on Aug. 2 and Bayan Muna on Sept. 6.
The Supreme Courtroom (SC) en banc will maintain oral arguments on the fund transfers in January subsequent 12 months.
Looked for remark, Mr. Recto mentioned: “We’re solely following Congress’ directions within the finances. We are going to respect the choice of the Supreme Courtroom.”
A provision included within the 2024 Normal Appropriations Act allowed the Division of Finance to subject Round No. 003-2024, authorizing PhilHealth and the Philippine Deposit Insurance coverage Corp. to switch P89.9 billion and P110 billion, respectively.
These would assist fund unprogrammed appropriations price P203.1 billion, which might help authorities packages in well being, infrastructure, and social providers.
“Unlocking these extra fund balances is a extra prudent fiscal possibility than borrowing extra or imposing taxes,” the Division of Finance (DoF) mentioned in July.
Mr. Recto earlier mentioned that tasks funded by unprogrammed appropriations will increase the true gross home product development by 0.7%. It will additionally generate as much as P24.4 billion in extra revenues and create extra jobs.
The Finance chief additionally famous that the fund transfers wouldn’t impair the supply of healthcare providers, including that PhilHealth would nonetheless have some P550 billion after the surplus funds are remitted.
In the meantime, medical teams are stepping up their efforts to cease PhilHealth’s fund transfers, mentioned Anthony C. Leachon, former president of the Philippine Faculty of Physicians.
“We are going to intensify our efforts to collect extra supporters to cease the final switch of P29.9 billion in November and hopefully affect the SC to expedite the issuance of TRO (momentary restraining order) or affect the choice in January in favor of the petitioners,” he mentioned in a Viber message.
“The Government department ought to mirror on stopping the switch since this unprecedented diversion of public funds has authorized implications,” he added.
In August, healthcare representatives penned a letter to the DoF saying the surplus funds of PhilHealth have to be used to enhance healthcare providers.
