Groups ask SC: Stop PhilHealth fund transfer
LEADERS of labor groups and trade unions on Friday filed a motion before the Supreme Court to stop the transfer of P89.9 billion from the reserve fund of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to the National Treasury. In a statement, the groups, led by the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition, said the transfer is an "act of negative social justice that would adversely affect the nation's health care system and its beneficiaries, particularly those who have less in life." They said the transfer is "unconstitutional and detrimental to the expansion and improvement of PhilHealth's basic health benefits and services." The motion came after Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III petitioned the court to order a halt to the transfer. "It is necessary to support the intervention in the petition filed by Sen. Koko Pimentel, which questions the transfer of funds from PhilHealth," said Nagkaisa chairman Sonny Matula in Filipino. Matula said P30 billion of the reserve fund had already been transferred to the treasury, with additional funds to follow. "We have exhausted administrative remedies but to no avail. Our letters to [President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] and to [Finance] Secretary Ralph Recto and PhilHealth remain unacted," he said. Matula added: "They remain unmovable in their course of action, and resorting to the Supreme Court is now our legal imperative." He said the primary beneficiaries of PhilHealth, mainly workers and their families, are at risk of losing their health benefits and services because of the fund transfer. "This transfer is a blatant act of negative social justice, diverting much-needed resources away from those who have less in life, away from improving health care services, and towards projects that are vulnerable to misuse and corruption," he said. "Why give back funds to the National Treasury, then secure a loan to help achieve the universal health care mandate? It's like wasting our resources for health twice over to fund unprogrammed projects?" Matula said. According to Nagkaisa, while the PhilHealth funds were being transferred, the agency received a $450 million policy loan from the Asian Development Bank, which was approved in December last year "to boost the universal health care program" of the country. The labor groups were concerned over a "lack of understanding and strategic planning" in managing public funds that were meant to enhance the country's health care system.
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
LEADERS of labor groups and trade unions on Friday filed a motion before the Supreme Court to stop the transfer of P89.9 billion from the reserve fund of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to the National Treasury.
In a statement, the groups, led by the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition, said the transfer is an "act of negative social justice that would adversely affect the nation's health care system and its beneficiaries, particularly those who have less in life."
They said the transfer is "unconstitutional and detrimental to the expansion and improvement of PhilHealth's basic health benefits and services."
The motion came after Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III petitioned the court to order a halt to the transfer.
"It is necessary to support the intervention in the petition filed by Sen. Koko Pimentel, which questions the transfer of funds from PhilHealth," said Nagkaisa chairman Sonny Matula in Filipino.
Matula said P30 billion of the reserve fund had already been transferred to the treasury, with additional funds to follow.
"We have exhausted administrative remedies but to no avail. Our letters to [President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] and to [Finance] Secretary Ralph Recto and PhilHealth remain unacted," he said.
Matula added: "They remain unmovable in their course of action, and resorting to the Supreme Court is now our legal imperative."
He said the primary beneficiaries of PhilHealth, mainly workers and their families, are at risk of losing their health benefits and services because of the fund transfer.
"This transfer is a blatant act of negative social justice, diverting much-needed resources away from those who have less in life, away from improving health care services, and towards projects that are vulnerable to misuse and corruption," he said.
"Why give back funds to the National Treasury, then secure a loan to help achieve the universal health care mandate? It's like wasting our resources for health twice over to fund unprogrammed projects?" Matula said.
According to Nagkaisa, while the PhilHealth funds were being transferred, the agency received a $450 million policy loan from the Asian Development Bank, which was approved in December last year "to boost the universal health care program" of the country.
The labor groups were concerned over a "lack of understanding and strategic planning" in managing public funds that were meant to enhance the country's health care system.
