Manila: Senator Pia Cayetano has called on the Senate to ensure that the PHP60 billion allocated to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), as directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., is preserved in the 2026 national budget. This call to action highlights the importance of adhering to the President’s directive and maintaining the allocation as stipulated in the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) passed by the House of Representatives.

According to Philippines News Agency, Cayetano emphasized the necessity of embedding this directive within the budget process, ensuring that the funds are used to address the health needs of the Filipino population. By integrating the amount into the final General Appropriations Act (GAA), the Senate will ensure compliance with existing laws and support the effective implementation of universal health care initiatives.

Cayetano underscored that the Universal Health Care Act and the Sin Tax Reform Laws of 2012 and 2019 explicitly allocate a portion of sin tax revenues for PhilHealth. These funds are intended to finance universal health care, and any deviation from this allocation would constitute a legal violation. Cayetano’s statement serves as a reminder of the legal requirements to direct sin tax revenues towards health funding, thereby reinforcing the necessity of safeguarding the PHP60 billion allocation for PhilHealth in the forthcoming budget.