The labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) lambasted President
Bong Bong Marcos, Jr. as a Scrooge for not restoring the subsidy for Philhealth
and funds for social services in the national budget that he signed today.
“President Marcos, Jr. is being disingenuous in his veto of
a few line items as AKAP remains embedded in the national budget. Further, he
is being dishonest in saying that Philhealth benefits will not be affected by
lack of subsidy. Philhealth members and beneficiaries are demanding significant
improvement of benefits—a 50% increase in coverage as was discussed in the
budget deliberations & promised by Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa,”
stated Judy Miranda, PM secretary general.
PM was among the coalition of labor groups, health workers
and medical advocates that held a big protest to ask for the restoration of the
Philhealth subsidy in the 2025 national budget. Members of the Nagkakaisang
Mamamayan para sa Pangkalusugang Pangkalahatan marched to Mendiola in Manila
last December 18 to call on President Marcos, Jr. to veto the budget and reform
the Philhealth. Last December 26, members of PM and Sentro also held a rally at
the Philhealth office in Cebu City.
PM reiterated its demand for the resignation of Herbosa and
the Philhealth board for their failure to make good on their promises as well
as for their inefficiency that has become an alibi for the zero subsidy.
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. Moreover, the group has been demanding public laundromats and whole day childcare centers to ease the burdens of employed and unemployed women.
Press Release
December 30, 2024
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