MANILA, Philippines- Inihirit ng government lawyers sa Supreme Court (SC) na ibasura ang petisyon sa umano’y “unconstitutionality” ng probisyon sa “unprogrammed appropriations (UA)” sa 2024 national budget na naglilipat sa national treasury ng P89.9 bilyong reserve funds ng Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
Sa komento nito, sinabi ng Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) sa SC na ang paglilipat ng hindi nagamit na pondo ng PhilHealth “when viewed from a broader perspective, will not necessarily hamper, much less disable, the implementation of PhilHealth’s mandate.”
“Assuming that there are challenges, roadblocks, and shortcomings in achieving the purposes of the UHCA [Universal Health Care Act], the same are matters only of its implementation, and are not tantamount to a violation of the right to health, as erroneously espoused by petitioners,” pahayag ni Solicitor General Menardo I. Guevarra.
“All told, there is no violation of the people’s right to health in this case. The transfer of funds has not been not clearly shown to have impaired, let alone violated, the mandates of the UHCA,” dagdag niya.
Giit niya, sapat ang kita ng PhilHealth upang saklawin ang pagbabayad ng benefit claims at operating expenses, at ang hindi nagamit na PhilHealth funds ay “in excess of the funds needed for its maintenance and operations, including the payment for any outstanding claims for FY 2023.”
Binanggit pa niya na bukod sa annual net income nito na may average na mahigit P100 bilyon sa nakalipas na tatlong taon, ang PhilHealth ay may reserve fund na P488,107,320,929.88 hanggang noong Marso 31, 2024, “highlighting its strong fiscal position.”
Nauna nang inatasan ng SC ang gobyerno na magkomento sa petisyong inihain nina Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III; Ernesto Ofracio, Junice Lirza D. Melgar, Cielo Magno, Ma. Dominga Cecilia B. Padilla, Dante B. Gatmaytan, at Ibarra Gutierrez; Sentro ng Mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa, Inc.; Public Services Labor Independent Confederation Foundation, Inc.; at ng Philippine Medical Association. Anila, kumakatawan sila sa direct at indirect PhilHealth contributors.
Kabilang sa mga inatasang magkomento si Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto, ang House of Representatives na kinakatawan ni Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, ang Senado na kinakatawan ni Senate President Francis Chiz Escudero; Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin; at PhilHealth na kinakatawan ng presidente nitong si Emmanuel Ledesma Jr.
Inihayag ng petitioners sa SC na “the pilfering of the reserve funds is a grave disservice to the Filipino people who depend on PhilHealth for financial risk protection from illness and who are still heavily burdened by out-of-pocket health expenditure.”
“With consistently rising inflation and worsening social conditions, it is imperative that these funds be used exclusively for the implementation of the Universal Health Care Act, the expansion of benefit packages, and the reduction of premium contributions,” wika nila.
“Despite Congress being vested with the powers of appropriation, the Constitution demands that the expenditure of these funds have distinct ‘items,’ qualifications, limitations, or conditions to which they are subject. The provision fails to meet these criteria, making it unconstitutional.”
Sa komento ng OSG, inihayag ni Guevarra na taliwas sa pahayag ng petitioners, ang Section 1(d) ng XLIII ng GAA (General Appropriations Act) 2024 “is not a rider” at hindi labag sa Section 25 (2) at Section 26(1) ng Article VI ng Konstitusyon.
Nakasaad sa Section 25 (2): “No provision or enactment shall be embraced in the general appropriations bill unless it relates specifically to some particular appropriation therein. Any such provision of enactment shall be limited in its operation to the appropriation to which it relates.”
Batay naman sa Section 26 (1): “Every bill passed by the Congress shall embrace only one subject which shall be expressed in the title thereof.”
Giit ni Guevarra, ang probisyon sa 2024 GAA ay hindi nag-aamyenda o lumalabag sa mga probisyon ng Republic Act (RA) 11223 o ng Universal Health Care Act (UHCA); at RA 10351 at RA 11346, ang Sin Tax Reform Laws.
Sa katunayan aniya, ang Section 1(d) ng 2024 GAA ay “a valid act of appropriation” at hindi labag sa right to health ng mga mamamayan.
Sa DOF Circular No. 003-2024, sinabi ni Guevarra na ipinalabas ito alinsunod sa Section 1 (d) ng 2024 GAA.
Hindi umano labag ang circular sa Section 29 (3) Article VI ng Konstitusyon na nagsasabing: “All money collected on any tax levied for a special purpose shall be treated as a special fund and paid out for such purpose only.”
Gayundin, binigyang-diin niya na hindi labag ang DOF circular sa cash budgeting system provision ng 2024 GAA, base kay Guevarra.
“The raising of funds for government expenses is a legislative prerogative and the concept of an unprogrammed appropriation funded through excess revenue/funds is not a novel concept, as petitioners suggest,” sabi ng opisyal.
“Hence, the assailed 2024 GAA provision pertaining to the fund sources under the unprogrammed appropriations is an essential element that complies with the requirement under Section 25(2), Article VI of the Constitution and well within the power of Congress to appropriate,” dagdag niya. RNT/SA
