Marcos Highlights PhilHealth Expansion and Challenges in SONA

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has consistently highlighted the expansion and improvements of the national health insurance program, PhilHealth, in his State of the Nation Addresses (SONA) from 2022 to 2025. These addresses have outlined a roadmap aimed at enhancing healthcare access for Filipinos. In his 2022 SONA, Marcos Jr. announced plans to establish more health centers and hospitals, and to deploy doctors, nurses, and medical technologists to rural areas for regular consultations, making healthcare more accessible without requiring long-distance travel. By 2023, the President reported that PhilHealth membership had surpassed 93 percent of the population. He emphasized the enhanced Konsulta Package, which offers 21 types of medicines and 13 laboratory services for free. The number of Konsulta centers nationwide had also grown by 35 percent to over 2,000. Further enhancements were detailed in 2024, with PhilHealth doubling its benefits for critical illnesses such as acute stroke and pneumonia, raising the coverage limit to P76,000 and P90,000, respectively. Benefits for breast cancer treatment saw a significant increase of over 1,000 percent, from a previous limit of P100,000 to P1.4 million. Coverage for colon cancer was also strengthened, and by the end of the year, chemotherapy for lung, liver, ovarian, and prostate cancers were slated for inclusion. The 2025 SONA announced expanded coverage for heart conditions, including heart attacks, open-heart surgery, and valve repair or replacement. Post-kidney transplant services and medicines were also included. The benefit for severe dengue in children was raised to P47,000, and outpatient services, including emergency room visits, were confirmed to be covered by PhilHealth. Despite these expansions, certain health reform advocates and non-governmental organizations have raised concerns regarding PhilHealth's financial sustainability and the alleged "defunding" or "destruction of universal healthcare." The government has refuted claims of missing funds, clarifying that a P60 billion fund was remitted back to the National Treasury in 2024 and subsequently returned to PhilHealth in April 2024, in compliance with a Supreme Court decision. PhilHealth's budget for 2026 under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) is P129.782 billion, encompassing subsidies for "indirect contributors," the returned funds from the National Treasury, and improvements to benefit packages. The administration continues to push for universal healthcare while addressing criticisms and ensuring transparency in fund management. Source: Philstar Business