Metro Manila, Philippines – A labor group coalition is preparing to challenge the 2025 national budget should contentious provisions stay in the soon-to-be-enacted General Appropriations Bill.
NAGKAISA Labor Coalition Chairperson Sonny Matula said the group is eyeing legal action if the administration withholds the subsidy for the state health insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
“Tinaasan ng premium yung ating mga kababayang manggagawa at siyempre nasa shoulder yan ng ating mga employer at ng ating mga employees. Sila po ang tinaasan yan ng 1% noong Enero, from 4% to 5%. Bigla tayong iniwan ng ating gobyerno at binigyan tayo ng zero subsidy. Parang namang kabalintunaan yan sa tawag na social contract na kapag mag-contribute ang mga mamayan, dapat ng ating gobyerno din ay may kontribusyon. Kaya sa mga manggagawa ay sumisigaw na iniwan ng gobyerno ang manggagawa,” said Matula.
[Translation: Premiums for our workers were raised, and this burden falls on both employers and employees. Their premium went up by 1% in January, from 4% to 5%. Suddenly, the government left us and gave zero subsidy. It’s contradictory to the so-called social contract that when citizens contribute, the government should also make contributions. That’s why workers are crying out that the government has abandoned them.]
Matula added that the government should not abandon the health insurer.
“May nakikita ako dyan na ospital na may 400 million, hindi pa nabayaran hanggang ngayon, may 30 million, may 100 million, pero dapat pang bayaran yung mga utang ng PhilHealth. Kaya kinakailangan talaga na may fundamental subsidy ang gobyerno, strategic subsidy ang tawag natin,” he said.
[Translation: I see hospitals owed 400 million, others 30 million or 100 million, but PhilHealth’s debts still need to be paid. That’s why there’s a need for a fundamental subsidy from the government, which we call a strategic subsidy.]
The labor group also plans to question the increase in funding for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“Sa ating Department of Education lumalabas na figura ay yung Department of Education ata ay P737 billion na lamang. Samantalang yung ating Department of Public Works and Highways naiwanan ng DPWH. Ito po ay salungat sa provision ng, kung natatandaan ko, Article 14 ng ating konstitusyon na nagbibigay ng mataas na prioridad sa ating basic fundamental law na ito, kaya maaaring question ito sa Korte Suprema natin,” he added.
[Translation: The figures show that the Department of Education is now at only P737 billion, while the DPWH has been left with significantly higher funding. This contradicts, if I recall correctly, Article 14 of our Constitution, which gives priority to education as a fundamental law. That’s why this may be questioned before the Supreme Court.]
Meanwhile, retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio expressed willingness to support efforts to challenge the constitutionality of the budget.
“Yes, we plan to question it in the Supreme Court if there are unconstitutional provisions,” he said in a separate interview.
