Doc Willie Ong Shares Thoughts on PhilHealth’s Over 500 Billion Reserve Funds
DOC WILLIE ONG – The doctor-vlogger shared his thoughts on PhilHealth’s substantial reserve funds, which have reached 500 billion pesos. He emphasized that the people’s primary request is for PhilHealth to use these funds to benefit its members, particularly those in need, rather than stockpiling money.
Ong specifically called for immediate access to chemotherapy for cancer patients, requesting at least 1 million pesos in support per patient. He also advocated for free medical procedures such as angiograms, angioplasty, heart bypass surgeries, CT scans, MRIs, and PET scans.
Ong pointed out that the main objective of PhilHealth should be to assist its members and the poor, not to accumulate vast reserves. He clarified that PhilHealth is not a bank and criticized its leadership for focusing more on saving money rather than spending it on urgent healthcare needs. He referenced the Universal Healthcare Law, which mandates that PhilHealth actively use its funds to provide healthcare services, not merely save them.
Ong proposed that PhilHealth’s reserve funds should only maintain a two-year buffer—around 150 billion pesos—rather than the current 500 billion. He expressed frustration, stating that this hoarding mentality has likely led to the unnecessary loss of countless lives due to lack of immediate treatment. He urged accountability, hoping the public and those in power would reflect on their actions.
In conclusion, Ong called for collective reflection, prayer, and action to address this ongoing issue and ensure that the funds are used to save lives rather than simply accumulate wealth. He expressed a heartfelt plea for the government to take risks to resolve this critical problem.
Earlier, Doc Willie Ong called for free chemotherapy for all cancer patients, proposing that PhilHealth should cover at least 1 million pesos per patient, especially since the organization has 600 billion pesos in reserve funds. He pointed out that currently, only a few types of cancer are covered by PhilHealth.