Members of various health worker associations stage a “White Collar Rally” at the Guazon Hall of the Philippine General Hospital in Manila on Monday, urging the Department of Finance to halt the second tranche on August 21 and further transfers of PhilHealth funds to the National Treasury.

The health workers echoed concerns raised by labor groups and grassroots communities, which were filed through a petition at the Supreme Court on August 13, regarding the constitutionality of these transfers.

Medical associations earlier called on President Marcos Jr. to stop the diversion of P89.9 billion in PhilHealth funds and to implement genuine systemic reforms at the state health insurer, ensuring the protection of members' benefits as mandated by the Universal Healthcare (UHC) Act.

Finance Secretary Ralph Recto clarified during a forum that the funds being transferred to the National Treasury are not from members’ contributions but from the government’s subsidy to PhilHealth.

Recto: PhilHealth excess fund not from members’ contribution 
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