Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Monday filed a resolution urging the Senate Committee on Health and Demography to investigate the transfer of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) excess funds to the national budget’s unprogrammed fund.

According to Ejercito — the principal author of the Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act that established PhilHealth — it was “unacceptable” for the agency to have a significant amount of unspent funds.

He stressed that these excess funds “could have greatly helped more indigent and poor patients.”

“It is also critical to look into the absorptive capacity of PhilHealth in the management of its fund in order to enhance the delivery of health benefits to our people,” Ejercito said in Resolution 1087.