PCSO raises 2026 PhilHealth support to P3.85-B

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has approved an additional ₱1.16 billion contribution to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) for 2026, increasing its total allocation for the year to ₱3.85 billion in support of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act.

The additional funding, approved by the PCSO Board on Tuesday, is expected to bring the agency’s total remittances to PhilHealth from 2022 to the end of 2026 to about ₱13.98 billion.

PCSO General Manager Melquiades Robles said the agency’s contributions help strengthen financial protection for Filipino families facing hospitalization and other medical expenses, in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s healthcare agenda.

He said the funding reinforces PhilHealth’s capacity to reduce the financial burden of healthcare on patients and ensure broader access to medical services.

Under the Universal Health Care Act, the PCSO is required to allocate 40 percent of its Charity Fund to support the implementation of universal healthcare.

Since 2022, the agency has remitted a total of ₱11.47 billion to PhilHealth through the Bureau of the Treasury, including ₱2.71 billion in 2022, ₱2 billion in 2023, ₱2.13 billion in 2024, ₱2.87 billion in 2025, and ₱1.94 billion during the first half of 2026.

Another ₱2.51 billion is expected to be remitted in the second half of the year, bringing total contributions to approximately ₱13.98 billion by year-end.

Robles said the agency’s compliance with the UHC law reflects its broader mandate of ensuring that revenues generated through PCSO operations are returned to the public through health and charitable assistance programs.

He added that the agency’s support for PhilHealth complements its direct medical assistance programs, which provide financial aid for hospitalization, medicines, diagnostic procedures and other health-related needs.