The first to expose the billions of available funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in 2023, Manoy Wilbert “Wise” Lee said that the recently approved benefit increases by the state health insurer’s Board are still lacking.

The Bicolano lawmaker who has persistently fought for additional benefit increases for more than a year now pointed out that amid controversies surrounding the “unused” funds of PhilHealth, the Department of Health (DOH) should waste no time in providing better medical care services that every Filipino deserve.

“Kahit para na tayong sirang plaka sa paulit-ulit na panawagan na gamitin ang pondo ng kalusugan para sa kalusugan, di tayo titigil dahil ito ang talagang makakabawas sa pangamba ng ating mga kababayan, lalo na sa pagkakasakit dahil sa mahal na gamot at pagpapagamot,” Lee lamented.

“Maganda sanang Pamasko sa ating mga kababayan kung sumunod lang ang DOH sa ipinaglaban at naikasa nating commitment na nilagdaan mismo ng pinuno nito para mapababa ang gastos ng bawat Pilipino sa pagpapa-ospital. Ang inaprubahan na mga dagdag benepisyo kamakailan ay kulang-kulang sa napagkasunduan,” he added.

Last Dec. 16, the PhilHealth Board of Directors approved a 50% increase in selected case rates, in addition to emergency care benefit, glasses and optometric services for children, open-heart surgery benefits and pediatric cataract extractions.

Lee said that the DOH, which leads the PhilHealth Board and the Benefits Committee (BenCom) must put as its New Year’s Resolution to be more proactive in increasing the health benefit packages of Filipinos, especially with its more than P500 billion or half a trillion available funds.

The solon from Bicol then reiterated his sentiment during the Dec. 17 House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability hearing on zero subsidy for PhilHealth, saying “Nasaan ang hustisya kung milyon-milyong Pilipino pa rin ang papasan sa mga pagdurusa at mapagkakaitan ng mga dagdag na benepisyong pangkalusugan dahil sa pagka-manhid at kapalpakan ng ilang namumuno?”

“Napakalaking insulto at kalokohan na gamitin ang pondong kailangang-kailangan para sa mga dagdag na serbisyong pangkulusugan sa mararangyang okasyon o ilipat ito sa mga proyekto na hindi naman ikamamatay ng mga Pilipino kung hindi maipagawa,” Lee reiterated.

“Paano naaatim ng ilan na maging makupad sa pagtupad ng kanilang tungkulin at ipagkait ang mga dagdag na benepisyo sa gamot at pagpapagamot na pwedeng magligtas sa buhay ng milyon-milyon nating kababayan?”

“The focus should remain on addressing the gaps in the country’s healthcare system. Napakalaking kasalanan na hindi ibigay ang pondo at suporta na kaya namang ibigay, at sa halip ay gamitin lang ito kung saan iilan lang ang makikibanang,” he added.

A staunch health advocate, Lee successfully fought for the 30% increase in PhilHealth benefits implemented last February 2024, after more than a decade that PhilHealth case rates were not reviewed and adjusted, making its coverage no longer responsive to the hospitalization cost of beneficiaries.

The solon from Bicol constantly called on the DOH and PhilHealth leadership to implement more benefit increases, which resulted to securing their commitments during the House Budget Deliberations last September 25, to provide a comprehensive plan to lower the out-of-pocket medical expenses of Filipinos.

It can be recalled that the 2025 DOH budget deliberations ended in a mic scuffle as Lee would like to put on record the said health commitments he secured from DOH and PhilHealth.

He also recently filed a measure to investigate the P11 billion worth of expired medicines and vaccines in DOH warehouses and health facilities flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA), stressing that this kind of inefficiency is a big disservice to millions of Filipinos who are dying because they cannot afford to buy medicines.

“Hinding-hindi natin titigilan ang paniningil sa mga ipinangako sa ating mga dagdag na benepisyong pangkalusugan. Hindi rin natin tatantanan ang pagpapanagot sa mga manhid at walang pakialam, hanggang masiguro natin na ito na ang huli nilang Pasko at Bagong Taon sa posisyon dahil wala silang malasakit at hindi nila ginagawa ang kanilang trabaho,” Lee stressed.

“Hindi na dapat paabutin ng panibagong Pasko o Bagong Taon ang pagpapatupad ng mga dagdag na benepisyong pangkalusugan. Ang gamot at pagpapagamot, dapat libre na ng gobyerno. Ang layunin ko: Gamot Mo, Sagot Ko!” Lee said.