Workers and allied groups rally to demand restoration of Philhealth subsidy

A newly formed coalition of labor groups, health workers and medical advocates asked for the restoration of the Philhealth subsidy in the 2025 national budget. Members of the Nagkakaisang Mamamayan para sa Pangkalusugang Pangkalahatan assembled this morning at Morayta before marching to Mendiola to call on President Bong Bong Marcos, Jr. to veto the budget and reform the Philhealth.

 

“In the 2025 national budget, there is zero subsidy for Philhealth but full subsidy for trapos in the form of AKAP, AICS, TUPAD and confidential funds,” stated Judy Miranda, Partido Manggagawa (PM) secretary general, which was among the groups that participated in the protest.

 

PM is demanding a “veto, restore and reform”: Veto the bicam version of the GAA; Restore the subsidy for Philhealth; Reform the system through the resignation of Department of Health (DoH) Secretary Teodoro Herbosa and a revamp of the Philhealth board. Aside from the restoration of the Philhealth subsidy, PM is also asking for the removal of confidential funds not just for OVP of Sara Duterte but for all other agencies including the OP.

 

PM slammed the Congressional bicameral conference committee for not allocating any subsidy for Philhealth. “It is the confidential funds of Vice President Sara Duterte and all other officials that must be taken out, not support for health insurance of workers and the people. Zero subsidy for Philhealth, NO! Zero budget for confidential funds, YES!,” asserted Miranda.

 

However, the group added this is also partly the fault of Secretary Herbosa. PM called for the resignation of Herbosa for his failure to make good on commitments to improve Philhealth benefits for its members, many of whom are workers. “Sectary Herbosa should step down since he cannot do his job and make good on his promises. He committed to increasing by 50% across-the-board hike in Philhealth benefits which has not materialized. Philhealth has excess funds since it is scrimping on benefits. Herbosa, Alis dyan!,” Miranda asked.

 

PM’s demand for Herbosa’s resignation is part of the group’s advocacy for quality public services. PM earlier joined the Nagkaisa labor coalition in filing as intervenor in the Supreme Court case to oppose the transfer of P90 billion of Philhealth’s excess funds to the National Treasury. The group has also been demanding public laundromats and whole day childcare centers to ease the burdens of employed and unemployed women. 

Press Release

December 18, 2024

Press Release: Partylist opens electoral bid with grassroots campaign

Press Release

February 12, 2019

Partido Manggagawa partylist

Contact Dhel Pulanco (PUP) @ 09179402632

Ver Estorosas (Bulacan) @ 09339680449

Dennis Sequena (Cavite) @ 09301803071

The partylist group PM opened its electoral bid for “genuine representation for the marginalized” with a grassroots campaign involving workers, urban and youth. A group of idealistic youth campaigned early morning today by train hopping for their favored opposition senatorial bets and the partylist group PM.

“It is an uphill fight against the deluge of fake partylist groups, many supported by the administration and all promoting the candidacy of trapos. But the only way to gain representation for the truly marginalized is by fighting and winning,” declared Manny Manato, nominee of PM and chair of the informal settler network Kilos Maralita.

Around 15 student leaders from the PUP Central Student Council and the student party SPEAK leafleted the MRT and LRT train stations at North EDSA, Cubao, Recto and Pureza today as the opening salvo of a youth campaign for principled politics. The youth leaders say that they are campaigning early to jump the gun on trapos who have the money and influence to dominate the election period. 

Yesterday, the same groups crowdsourced from fellow PUP students to finance the printing of the leaflets that they distributed today. Dubbed "Piso mo para sa Pagbabago," they successfully solicited donations for national candidates that they assert embody the advocacy and fight for real social change.

The youth leaders are challenging candidates to support the demand to increase the education share of the national budget to 6%. They believe that the protracted fight over the pork barrel of solons that led to the delayed enactment of the General Appropriations Act is a case of the teapot calling the kettle black. The real issues are greater budget for social services like public education, universal health care, extended maternity and guaranteed public employment for the jobless.

Also today, Partido Manggagawa worker and urban poor leaders are launching their official partylist campaign by going to the grassroots. In Bulacan, urban poor leaders are hopping from one relocation area and depressed community to another across the towns of Marilao to Malolos to propagate the demand for affordable housing for the poor. It was in Pandi, Bulacan where a government housing project was occupied by informal settlers.

Meanwhile, in Cavite, union leaders are going to leaflet fellow workers in the giant Cavite Economic Zone to highlight the call for a national minimum wage and regular jobs for all. The demand for regular jobs, a national minimum wage, affordable housing, increased education budget and other social services are the key planks of the electoral platform of PM partylist. ###