By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, A reporter
The Supreme Court’s temporary ORDER (TRO) regarding the transfer of P29.9 billion from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) are taken to the Bureau of the Treasury and could affect government programs that depend on unplanned funds, said an economist.
“This may also affect infrastructure as some funds may be diverted from planned projects to unplanned but pressing projects,” Leonardo A. Lanzona, Jr., professor of economics at Ateneo de Manila, said. BusinessWorld via message chat.
He added that the TRO could affect the transfer of government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCC) to the Treasury.
Mr. Lanzona compared the transfer of the PhilHealth fund to former President Benigno SC Aquino III’s Development Acceleration Program, which the high court ruled against.
“All this time there was already a precedent that should have prevented such a transfer,” he said.
In July, the Department of Finance said that the money sent by PhilHealth and other GOCCs to the Treasury helped the Department of Budget and the release of R27.5 billion to pay claims by former beneficiaries of the COVID pandemic grants.
Provision of the General Appropriations Act of 2024 authorized the DoF to issue Circular No. 003-2024, authorizing PhilHealth and the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. that it transferred P89.9 billion and P110 billion, respectively.
These were intended to support unplanned funds worth P203.1 billion in health, infrastructure and social services.
Supreme Court Spokesperson Camille Sue Mae L. Ting on Tuesday said the TRO on the final phase of the transfer of the PhilHealth fund, worth P29.9 billion and due next month, will take effect immediately.
The Court consolidated the petitions filed by the 1SAMBAYAN Coalition, a group led by Senator Aquilino Martin D. Pimentel III, and another group led by Bayan Muna Chairman Neri J. Colmenares.
The three petitions were filed to stop the transfer of P89.9 billion from PhilHealth to the Treasury.
The TRO was issued after P60 billion of PhilHealth funds were transferred to the Treasury in three installments since May.
Ms. Ting said the court may still consider the request for a status quo order, which would allow the return of P60 billion to PhilHealth.
Former Party List Minister Renato B. Magtubo said the TRO has “no real impact” on the projects because they will be funded through unplanned allocations.
These projects “will only be realized if there are additional funds collected by the National Government,” he said BusinessWorld via Viber.
Such funding for the project depends on the availability of funds even if they have been allocated,” he said.
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