Senators question super health centers
Tulfo disclosed that only 481 projects had been completed, with just 224 currently operational.
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Tulfo disclosed that only 481 projects had been completed, with just 224 currently operational.
Senators on Monday questioned the functionality of government-funded health facilities under the Department of Health’s (DoH) Health Facilities Enhancement Program, citing delayed projects, non-operational super health centers, lack of manpower, and billions of pesos in public funds tied to infrastructure that, in some cases, exists only on paper.
During a Senate Committee on Health and Demography hearing, Senator Risa Hontiveros asked whether facilities funded through taxpayer money were actually delivering healthcare services.
“The question is: Do the facilities funded by taxpayers’ money actually work?” Hontiveros said.
The senator cited Commission on Audit findings pointing to weak monitoring systems, procurement problems, unequal resource allocation, and vetting processes allegedly bypassed through political or informal channels.
“We keep seeing this — completed on paper, but ineffective in real life,” she said.
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Hontiveros also raised concerns over alleged conflicts of interest within the Department of Health, saying such issues should not be normalized given the scale of public funds involved.
The DoH’s Health Facilities Enhancement Program received P22.23 billion under the 2026 General Appropriations Act, while the broader health sector budget rose to P297.5 billion, or 66 percent of total health appropriations.
481 completed
Senator Raffy Tulfo separately questioned the implementation of 820 super health centers funded with P8.7 billion from 2021 to 2025.
Tulfo disclosed that only 481 projects had been completed, with just 224 currently operational. Nineteen facilities remain non-operational due to utility and manpower problems, while 304 projects implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways were delayed.
“What is more alarming is that 304 projects are delayed,” Tulfo said in Filipino. He cited several facilities that were inaugurated but remained lacking in essential services.
According to Tulfo, the Obando Super Health Center remained non-functional due to the absence of permits and personnel for radiology, pharmacy and laboratory services.
The Meycauayan Super Health Center, operational since 2023, also reportedly lacks dental and laboratory services promised during its inauguration.
Tulfo also raised concerns over P7.8 billion allocated for ambulances and mobile clinics from 2021 to 2026, citing reports that some vehicles were allegedly used for personal travel.
Project defended
“Completed does not necessarily mean operational, and operational does not mean services are super,” he said.
DoH Undersecretary Albert Domingo defended the program, saying the HFEP had implemented 3,713 infrastructure upgrades from 2020 to 2025, including the procurement of 13,660 medical equipment units and 947 vehicles.
Domingo said facilities under the program are expected to become fully functional and PhilHealth-accredited upon completion.
