MANILA, Philippines – Umapela si Senador JV Ejercito sa mga kasamahan sa bicameral conference committee na ikonsidera ang “massive” budget hike sa kontrobersyal na Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients o MAIFIP program.
Si Ejercito ang isa sa conferees ng bicam panel sa proposed P6.793-trillion budget para sa 2026 ngunit hindi nakadalo sa mga pagpupulong dahil nasa ospital pa rin at nagpapagaling.
“My colleagues, let us weigh our choices carefully,” sinabi ni Ejercito sa isang written manifestation na ipinadala sa bicam panel nitong Linggo, Disyembre 14.
“We must remain firm in our principles: in times of need, assistance should be readily available and automatic, and not subject to the discretion of politicians,” ayon sa senador.
Mula sa original proposal ng Malakanyang na P24.23 bilyon, ang funding request para sa MAIFIP ay itinaas sa P51.6 bilyon sa bicam.
Naunang itinaas ng Kamara ang badyet nito sa P49 bilyon ngunit binawasan at ginawang P29 bilyon sa Senado.
Sa kabila nito, ang P51 bilyong aprubadong pondo sa bicam ay mas mataas pa rin kumpara sa P41 bilyon ngayong taon.
“The sharp increase in the MAIFIP budget from P24.23B in the NEP to P51.6B in the bicameral version might be interpreted as politically mediated access to healthcare,” ani Ejercito.
Ang NEP, o National Expenditure Program, ay ang budget proposal para sa mga ahensya na ginagawa ng Malakanyang at ipinapasa sa Kongreso para aprubahan.
“This runs counter to the goal of strengthening systematic, universal coverage under the Universal Health Care Act. It risks trading higher PhilHealth participation in hospital bills, lower out-of-pocket expenses, and even the dignity of patients for political patronage,” ipinunto niya.
“This is not what we envisioned when we crafted the Universal Health Care Act. Having a healthy population is the obligation of the government and not a debt of gratitude owed to anyone,” pagpapatuloy ng senador.
Sa halip na maglagay ng mas maraming pera sa MAIFIP, inirekomenda ni Ejerci oa ilagay na lamang ito “directly to PhilHealth as the first payor of healthcare expenses or even directly to hospitals implementing zero balance billing.”
Samantala, sinabi ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson, na hindi niya pipirmahan ang bicam report sa 2026 national budget hanggang hindi maitatama ang budget hike para sa MAIFIP at ang P32 bilyong alokasyon para sa farm-to-market roads.
“Sorry, unless rectified in its final version, I cannot sign to ratify a bicam report with P51 billion for MAIFIP, with nothing but guarantee letters from politicians, and is not compliant with the Universal Health Care Act,” ani Lacson.
“Further, I will not associate myself with the P33-billion spending for unplanned and unvetted farm-to-market roads,” dagdag nito.
Iginiit din ng senador na ang lahat ng health-related funds ay dapat na ipasok sa ilalim ng Universal Health Care program ng Department of Health.
“Guarantee letters from politicians will only guarantee patronage politics but not the health care needs of Filipinos, especially the indigents,” ayon pa kay Lacson. RNT/JGC
