Fernan Carigma

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) clarified last December 12 wherein it issued a statement that the P138 million budget allocation is for its anniversary celebration next year, not for a Christmas party.


This is in response to claims by former Department of Health (DOH) special adviser Dr. Tony Leachon in X (formerly Twitter) on December 13, saying that the health insurance corporation has earmarked the large sum for holiday festivities, sparking public concern about the use of public funds. 

He referred to a document listing various projects totaling P137.76 million, which he suggested included expenses for a Christmas party.

“P138 Million for Christmas party. Nagagamit naman ng husto pondo ng philhealth - para sa mga Christmas party contrary to the request of BBM for not spending much this Xmas 
at sa upcoming 30th Anniversary na P138M ang budget,” Leachon expressed in his post.

In line with his social media post, he also criticized Philhealth officials “for not using the funds wisely.”

PhilHealth responded by saying the amount in question is not for a Christmas celebration but for a year-long program marking the corporation's 30th anniversary in February 2025.

“It is unfortunate that he is misinformed. The breakdown of expenses posted by Dr. Leachon, which is not yet final, is intended for the 30th anniversary celebration of PhilHealth in 2025, a milestone year,” PhilHealth said.

It also emphasized that the P138 million is part of a proposed budget for activities throughout 2025, centered around raising awareness of the Universal Health Care law reforms. 

The theme of the anniversary, "Panatag Kami Dito!" is aimed at engaging the public in these health reforms.

Pargas further clarified that the budget has not been approved yet and is unrelated to any holiday event while reiterating the insurance company’s commitment to transparency and responsible stewardship of public funds. 

"Hindi po 'yun Pasko, at iyon po ay budget proposed at hindi pa po 'yan approved for the said activities for the anniversary next year, nationwide, whole year,” Pargas stated.

The agency urged the public and stakeholders to be cautious about making statements that could cause confusion.

In addition, it also assured the public that the anniversary celebration will focus on advancing healthcare reforms and engaging with employees, stakeholders, and members, with no funds allocated for holiday festivities.

"It's a fake news, because iyon pong ating Christmas party, actually kami nga po ay tumalima roon sa pahayag ng ating Pangulo for austerity. Nagpalabas kami ng appropriate management advisory for that," Pargas said in a Dobol B TV interview.

Last November 25, it issued a directive, instructing all offices, including regional branches, to implement austerity measures during the holiday season. This directive involved canceling some planned events and redirecting funds to aid communities affected by recent typhoons.