17/03/2026
Why Defunding PhilHealth Weakens Universal Health Care in the Philippines
By Dr. Tony Leachon
In countries with strong universal healthcare—France, Japan, Norway, the UK, Canada—families are shielded from medical bankruptcy. Their public insurance systems protect citizens from catastrophic costs. Even in nations with partial gaps like Australia or Germany, medical bankruptcies remain rare.
Here in the Philippines, the reality is stark: 44% of bankruptcies are linked to medical expenses. This reflects the crushing burden of out‑of‑pocket costs and the weakness of our insurance safety net. Instead of strengthening PhilHealth, recent policies have defunded it—through the unconstitutional transfer of ₱60 billion, 2025 Philhealth zero subsidy allocations, and the patronage politics MAIFIP program of the Department of Health. These actions undermine the very foundation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law, leaving millions of Filipinos vulnerable.
This is happening at a time when families are already struggling:
• Rising gasoline prices and inflation erode household budgets.
• Education costs for children in grade school, high school, and college weigh heavily.
• Global instability threatens economic security.
In such extraordinary times, weakening PhilHealth is not just a policy misstep—it is a moral failure. Universal healthcare should be the shield that protects Filipino families from financial ruin, preserves dignity in illness, and ensures that health is a right, not a privilege.
I call on legislators in the health committee and well‑meaning public officials: restore funding, strengthen PhilHealth, and honor the UHC Law. The Filipino people deserve protection, not abandonment.
The lesson from countries with universal healthcare is clear: when the state protects its people from medical bankruptcy, families thrive, economies stabilize, and societies flourish. The Philippines deserves no less.
Tony Leachon
