By Perfecto T Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY — Healthcare workers, patient groups, and labor sector on Friday (Oct. 3) converged at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and condemned the alleged brazen corruption in the country involving patronage-driven medical assistance programs.
With the theme: “Nililimos na Karapatan: Ang Bagong Mukha ng Pork Barrel Funds”,
the press conference and rally calling for a rights-based 2026 budget and an end to patronage-driven programs was held at Liwasang Diokno, CHR Compound.
They raised the alarm over the government’s prioritization for the Medical Assistance for Indigents and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program, which they termed as the new face of pork barrel, over funding the national social health insurance provider Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in the hearings for the 2026 national budget.
Dr. Tony Dans, of Sin Tax Coalition, said that prioritizing MAIFIP destroys the core mandate of PhilHealth, an institutionalized health financing system designated by Universal Health Care Act of 2019 as the single purchaser of healthcare services in the country.
They further warned that the program’s discretionary and patronage-driven nature makes it inequitable, favoring select beneficiaries while leaving many in need without support.
According to them, it is the mandate and duty of the government to provide social protection through health services and other programs.
They noted that P26 billion was allotted to AKAP (Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program), through the TUPAD of the DOLE, especially during the last election in which President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. allegedly put some conditions.
Prof. Cielo Magno said that the 2025 budget is the most corrupt budget in the nation’s history, adding that they had warned President Marcos about such a corrupt budget, citing the P200 billion budget for the DPWH for the flood control projects, but slashed P90 billion from PhilHealth’s subsidy.
However, President Marcos vetoed the amount of P26 billion.
Prof. Magno stressed that there’s a need to fight for the taxes of the people and bring back dignity to the Filipino people.
Dr. Dans said that PhilHealh is the “ayuda” that everyone would like to have.
He added that in 2025, the amount of P90 billion was slashed from the budget of PhilHealth.
Dr. Dans stressed that there is now a new form of “ayuda” in the sense that instead of “ayudang PhilHealth”, it has become “ayudang trapo (traditional politician)”.
He pointed out that 70% of PhilHealth fund goes to “ayudang trapo or epal” and only 30% goes to poor Filipinos.
“Let us now stop all forms of corruption,” Dr. Dans said.
Dr. Dans noted that “AKAP” and “YAKAP” for outpatient are neither one nor the same program but “YAKAP” is the previous “Konsulta” package of PhilHealth.
Dr. Maricar Limpin said that “ayudas” are not the money coming from politicians but from the taxes of the people.
Dr. Limpin always tells her patients not to express gratitude to politicians for the guarantee letters (GLs) because it’s not the money of the politicians but taxes from the people.
She noted that it will take time for the patient to secure the approval of the GL from the politicians and the patient may even spend some amount of money before the GL is released.
She explained that the “zero balance billing” is now guaranteed under the Universal Healthcare Law in ward confinement in government hospitals and those who are confined in private hospitals are also covered by PhilHealth but not eligible for “zero balance billing”.
Dr. Limpin stressed that the money of the PhilHealth should be restored back because it is sourced at 40% of the Sin Tax.
She challenged the politicians to be confined in a government hospital within their legislative district to ensure sufficient funding for such a hospital.
Franz Beltran, a member of a youth students group, said that the “Iskolar ng Bayan” have experienced the lack of sufficient budget for state colleges and universities (SCUs), the lack of transparency of public funds, and self interests of politicians.
The youth group urged that corrupt politicians should be held accountable.
“Universal Healthcare Natin Huwag Wasakin. Huwag Wasakin Universal Healthcare Natin,” they chanted.
“Karapatan sa Kalusugan Hindi Limos. Hindi Limos. Hindi Limos Hindi Limos Karapatan sa Kalusugan,” they added.
“Lahat ng Korap Ikulong na yan. Ikulong na yan Lahat ng Korap,” they chanted.
The National Movement for Older Persons is calling for the Universal Social Pension, Universal Healthcare for all, and stop the depleting of the budget of PhilHealth.
They cited the slash in the budget of PhilHealth, and the alleged anomalous P255 billion budget in flood control projects.
They also urged for the stoppage of foreign borrowings which have reached P17 Trillion.
For its part, the CHR said that human rights and corruption are intertwined, stressing on the rights to life, health, food, education, and peaceful living, among others.
The barangay health workers also urged President Marcos to sign enacting into law the Magna Carta for Barangay Health Workers, calling for its immediate passage in the 20th Congress and urgent implementation. ###
