Loren Legarda on Tuesday called for urgent reforms to address persistent funding gaps in the country’s health system, warning that delays and diversions in health financing continue to undermine the Universal Health Care Act and expose millions of Filipinos to high out-of-pocket medical costs.

In a privilege speech delivered during the Senate plenary session on 3 February, Legarda urged the swift passage of the proposed PhilHealth Automatic Funding Act to ensure the timely release of funds legally due to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

“The fight for a just and equitable health system in the Philippines has never been easy. It is a race against time,” she said, stressing the need for moral courage in protecting the sick and vulnerable.

Legarda said PhilHealth has been deprived of P113.44 billion in cumulative sin tax revenues from 2023 to 2026, while an additional P106.95 billion in statutory shares from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the Philippine Gaming Corporation remain unpaid. She also cited a 2024 decision by the Department of Finance to return P60 billion in PhilHealth funds to the National Treasury as an example of actions that have weakened the health system.

She warned that such funding gaps erode public trust and delay the country’s transition to zero out-of-pocket health care.

“May nanay sa public hospital na pinipiling umuwi na lang dahil kulang ang pambayad kahit may PhilHealth card siya. May lolo na pinapahaba ang pagitan ng check-up dahil iniipon pa ang pamasahe at pambayad sa laboratory. May batang hindi maipasok agad sa ospital dahil takot ang magulang sa posibleng bill, kahit may sinasabing coverage ang PhilHealth,” Legarda said.

The senator also raised concerns over the Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients program, saying that while it was intended to help patients who cannot afford hospital bills, it has instead forced beneficiaries to navigate multiple offices, endorsements, and appeals.

“Hindi dapat nakikiusap ang mahirap para mabuhay. Hindi dapat namamalimos ang maysakit para magamot,” she said, adding that the program weakens the intent of the Universal Health Care Law and undermines PhilHealth’s mandate.

Legarda called for the gradual phase-out of MAIFIP and the transfer of its funds to PhilHealth, saying the move would strengthen case rates, expand coverage across income groups, and restore coherence to the country’s health financing framework.

To address funding gaps, she urged the immediate passage of Senate Bill No. 1662, or the PhilHealth Automatic Funding Act, which seeks to mandate the automatic release of all legally due funds to PhilHealth and require quarterly transparency reports from the Bureau of Internal Revenue, PAGCOR, and PCSO.

She also pushed for stronger oversight through the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Public Expenditures to ensure health funds are fully remitted, transparently reported, and promptly used for medicines, hospital services, and primary care.

“This serves as a direct warning to all officials of PhilHealth, the Department of Health, and any agency entrusted with public health funds: any form of abuse will not be tolerated. This Senate will ensure that all erring officials, those who authorize, defend, or tolerate misuse of health funds, will be held fully accountable under the law,” Legarda said.

She ended her speech by urging swift action from Congress and government agencies.

“The struggle for Universal Health Care is a moral emergency, and it is a promise we must keep,” she said.