President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. met with Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro Herbosa and his economic team on Tuesday to address the next steps for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) amid the health insurer’s zero allocation in the 2025 National Budget.

Marcos directed Herbosa to ensure that PhilHealth’s delivery of services remains unaffected despite the lack of government subsidy.

“Make sure that services of PhilHealth remain unhampered … it (zero budget) should not affect the delivery of healthcare services,” Marcos said, emphasizing the agency's critical role in providing healthcare to Filipinos. Herbosa, who also serves as PhilHealth chairperson, previously assured the public that PhilHealth’s performance would remain strong and would even expand its benefits.

Focus on prevention and digitalization

During the meeting, Marcos reaffirmed his commitment to prioritizing social services in the 2025 National Budget, particularly in the areas of education, health, economic development, infrastructure, and agriculture.

He also urged Herbosa to prioritize preventive healthcare over curative measures, stressing the importance of early intervention. “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound in cure,” Marcos noted.

The President further highlighted the need for the DOH to pursue digitalization efforts to enhance efficiency and improve the delivery of services to the public.