₱74.45-B PhilHealth budget to boost health benefits

The government is proposing a ₱74.45-billion allocation for the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) in 2027, including ₱19 billion to enhance benefit packages and fund other priority health interventions.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the proposed funding will strengthen health benefits, particularly for mental health and severe malnutrition, while supporting hospitals operated by local government units (LGUs).

The allocation will also finance national government premium subsidies for qualified PhilHealth beneficiaries, with about 11.09 million people targeted to receive support next year, up from around 10.65 million in 2026.

The proposal comes as the government seeks to reduce the amount Filipino families spend out of pocket for medical treatment.

In September, the DBM approved ₱10.377 billion for the implementation of Zero Balance Billing (ZBB), including ₱9.377 billion for Department of Health (DOH) hospitals nationwide and ₱1 billion for six pilot LGU hospitals in Benguet, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, Aklan and Sarangani.

The DBM also released an additional ₱800 million to the Philippine General Hospital for ZBB.

“Every peso we release for health must ultimately reach the patient,” DBM Acting Secretary Kim Robert de Leon said.

Following the ZBB funding approval, De Leon said no Filipino should have to choose between seeking medical treatment and protecting the family from unaffordable hospital bills.

“This P10.377-billion release is about making sure that when our people get sick, government is there to help carry the burden,” he said.

The proposed PhilHealth funding forms part of the government’s ₱353.8-billion health sector investment for 2027.

The proposed health budget also includes ₱107.29 billion for the operations of 72 DOH regional hospitals and other health facilities, ₱25.39 billion for the National Health Workforce Support System and ₱3.75 billion for the Cancer Assistance Fund.

PhilHealth received ₱129.8 billion in total funding this year after its initial ₱53.13-billion subsidy was supplemented by a ₱60-billion funding recovery boost and an additional ₱16.52 billion from the bicameral conference committee.