Several health advocacy groups recently submitted a petition to the Supreme Court, questioning the lack of subsidy for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in the 2025 national budget.

The petitioners include Social Watch Philippines, Medical Action Group, Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa, National Public Workers Congress, Center for Migrant Advocacy Philippines, Inc., and Likhaan Center for Women’s Health.

They argue that the absence of funding for the state health insurer in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) is unconstitutional.

The petition, spanning 58 pages, highlights the failure of Congress and the Executive to allocate funds for Universal Health Care (UHC) and PhilHealth's share of sin taxes, as mandated by law.

The petition seeks to compel Congress and the Executive to fulfill their obligations and uphold the law to ensure sustainable healthcare financing for all.

The decision to cut PhilHealth's subsidy was based on its P600-billion reserve funds, as revealed by Senate Finance Committee chairperson Grace Poe during the bicameral conference committee meeting on the 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB).

Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero attributed PhilHealth's subsidy removal to the organization's shortcomings, particularly its transfer of P89.9 billion in excess funds to the national treasury.

The petitioners urge the Supreme Court to mandate the automatic appropriation of sin tax shares for PhilHealth and ensure the quarterly remittance of PAGCOR and PCSO UHC shares to the state health insurer.

They also call for the creation of special accounts in the general fund by the Bureau of the Treasury to guarantee full remittance of sin tax shares and UHC shares to PhilHealth.

In addition to PhilHealth, the respondents named in the petition include Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Escudero, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the Department of Finance, Bureau of the Treasury, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Health, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

Earlier this year, health advocate Dr. Tony Leachon filed a petition for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the 2025 national budget implementation, citing the lack of funding for PhilHealth.