Dr. Tony Leachon
Independent Health Reform Advocate
September 20, 2025
The Department of Finance’s statement welcoming the return of ₱60 billion to PhilHealth is not a triumph—it is a belated admission of guilt.
Let us not forget: it was Secretary Ralph Recto who initiated and defended the transfer of these funds, despite strong resistance from civil society, health advocates, and legal experts. Secretary Ted Herbosa, meanwhile, stood by silently as the health system was defunded—failing to defend the very institution he was entrusted to lead. The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved a 2025 budget with zero subsidy for PhilHealth, while billions in questionable insertions passed without scrutiny.
Now, with public outrage mounting, the DOF is attempting to wash its hands of responsibility—like a modern-day Pontius Pilate. This is gaslighting at the highest level.
The DOF claims it gave a “solicited opinion” to support fund augmentation. But where was that opinion when the funds were first diverted? Where was that support when patients were turned away, when benefits were cut, when the Universal Health Care law was violated?
Let’s be clear: it was the DOF that pressured government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) to surrender their reserves. And PhilHealth wasn’t the only victim. The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) was forced to remit over ₱107 billion to the national treasury—justified as “unrestricted funds” for infrastructure and social programs. If the DOF is truly sincere, it should return those funds too.
We must also confront the truth behind the so-called “DPWH savings.” The ₱60 billion is said to be sourced from these savings—but that doesn’t mean the health funds ended up in DPWH. It means they were absorbed into a system where accountability is blurred and priorities are misplaced.
So where is the condemnation?
Where is the accountability?
Has justice been served?
Secretary Recto must resign. Secretary Herbosa must explain his silence. And the DBM must answer for its role in enabling this injustice.
To President Marcos: this is a moment of reckoning. We believe you were misled by those around you—by officials who prioritized political convenience over public welfare. But now, you have chosen to act. That act deserves recognition. It also demands follow-through.
The restoration of funds is a welcome development, but it does not erase the damage. It does not absolve those who enabled it. And it must not preempt the Supreme Court’s decision on the matter. Without a ruling, the petition risks being declared moot—setting a dangerous precedent for future abuse.
If the Court affirms that the ₱60 billion transfer was unconstitutional, then how much more indefensible is the zero subsidy for PhilHealth in the 2025 budget? That is not just a fiscal error—it is a moral failure.
The Supreme Court’s decision will be more than symbolic. It will guide Congress in reallocating funds from bloated infrastructure projects to health and education. It will restore the moral compass of public finance.
This is not just about numbers. It is about lives.
The President’s move is a defensive gambit—a face-saving measure at a time when other forms of plunder are angering the public in other arenas. But if this is the beginning of change, then let it be real. Let it be bold. Let it be just.
We stand firm in our call for truth, justice, and reform. We will not be gaslit into silence. And we will not stop until every Filipino receives the health care, dignity, and accountability they deserve.
#RelentlessForChange
Tony Leachon
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