Labor groups decry zero PhilHealth budget

Local

LABOR and advocacy groups are turning the season of giving into a season of resistance, as demonstrations against the zero subsidy for PhilHealth in the 2025 budget heated up.

Protesters accused President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of playing "Scrooge," warning that the cuts will unravel vital health and social services for millions of Filipinos.

On Thursday, December 26, approximately 150 members of Partido Manggagawa (PM), Sentro, and allied organizations rallied outside the PhilHealth Central Visayas on Gorordo Avenue in Cebu City.

The demonstrators pressed for the restoration of the subsidy and demanded increased funding for social services as the president prepares to sign the General Appropriations Act on December 30.

PM Cebu Chapter Vice-President Alan Esponga called the proposed budget detrimental to workers and vulnerable sectors.

He criticized the administration’s approach, describing it as a missed opportunity to support Filipinos, especially during the holiday season.

Protesters stressed that the budget cuts would hit low-income and indigenous communities the hardest.

Esponga dismissed Marcos’ assurances that PhilHealth benefits would remain intact despite the subsidy cut.

He argued that members and beneficiaries are not just asking for the status quo but for significant improvements to benefits and services.

He pointed to promises made during budget deliberations, including a 50 percent increase in PhilHealth coverage in 2025, which has yet to be fulfilled.

Additionally, Jai-Jai Ampoon, spokesperson for Sentro ng Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (Sentro), emphasized that these groups rely heavily on government support for healthcare and other basic needs.

"Kung tan-awon nato sa atong mga hospital sa Sotto, sa Cebu City [Medical Center] mag tipun-og man gani ang mga pasyente dinha dili maatiman," he said.

Adding to their grievances, protesters criticized cuts in the budgets of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Education (DepEd), and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

The demonstrators also demanded the resignation of Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa and the PhilHealth board.

They accused the officials of inefficiency and failing to fulfill their promises, which they believe contributed to the justification for the zero subsidy.

Meanwhile, in Manila, the Nagkakaisang Mamamayan para sa Pangkalusugang Pangkalahatan, a coalition of labor groups, health workers, and medical advocates, staged a march to Mendiola last December 18.

The group called on the president to veto the budget and implement long-overdue reforms in PhilHealth.

During the 2025 budget deliberations, lawmakers justified the removal of the subsidy by pointing to PhilHealth's P600 billion reserve funds.

They argued that the agency has enough resources to sustain its operations without additional government support.

Health Secretary Herbosa echoed this sentiment, assuring the public that benefits and services would not be compromised.(MyTVCebu)