Monday, June 16, 2025

Another petition filed with SC questioning 2025 budget

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ANOTHER petition was filed yesterday asking the Supreme Court (SC) to stop the implementation of the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which allegedly deprived the Filipino people of their constitutional right to guaranteed healthcare programs and packages.

In his petition for certiorari and prohibition, Dr. Tony Leachon said the SC should issue a temporary restraining order due to the non-allocation of government subsidy to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in this year’s national budget.

He also asked the High Court to issue a writ of mandamus and direct the appropriate government agencies to immediately allocate and release the appropriate budget to PhilHealth in accordance with the 1987 Constitution and RA 11223, or the Universal Health Care Act.

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The House allocated more than P74 billion in government subsidy to PhilHealth in its version of the national budget. The amount was reduced to P64.4 billion in the Senate version. The budget bicameral conference committee, however, approved a zero subsidy to PhilHealth, citing its P600 billion excess funds.

Named respondents in the petition are Senate President Francis Escudero, Speaker Martin Romualdez, and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.

Leachon questioned the legality of the implementation of the 2025 GAA, or Republic Act 12116, saying this was supposedly the first time “in Philippine history” that Malacañang, the Senate, and the House of Representatives did not take into consideration the health of the Filipino people.

“This petition is not just a legal plea. It is a desperate cry for justice, a call to defend the most sacred right enshrined in our Constitution: the right to health and life of every Filipino. It seeks to nullify the issuance and implementation of the 2025 GAA because it represents not just a legislative failure, but a profound betrayal of the Filipino people,” Leachon said in his  petition.

He said Congress violated the mandate of the Universal Health Care Act when it did not allot even a single centavo in government subsidy to the state insurer.

“With this court’s action, the government’s silence will become an acceptance of suffering, and the dreams of equitable healthcare will wither away for those who need it most,” Leachon said.

He also slammed both houses of Congress for the lack of transparency, saying the budget process was allegedly done in an “arbitrary manner”, as he noted the statement of SC Associate Justice Amy Lazaro Javier during the oral arguments last February 4 that PhilHealth is allegedly bankrupt.

“The actions of the bicameral conference committee… reflect not only an abuse of power but a grave abdication of their sworn duty to uphold the welfare of every Filipino. This betrayal was done behind closed doors, without scrutiny, and without a shred of compassion for those whose lives depend on this essential support,” he said.

“This petition stands not just for the constitutional compliance but for the dignity, health, and future of every Filipino. The Court now has the power and the responsibility to ensure that justice prevails and that no Filipino is left behind in the darkness of neglect,” he added. President Marcos has assured the public that PhilHealth will continue to provide uninterrupted services despite the zero subsidy, as he reiterated that his administration is committed to prioritize social services in the 2025 national budget.

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