PH Politics

The House–Senate bicameral conference committee in the Philippines agreed to allocate P51.6 billion to the Medical Assistance for Indigents and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program in the proposed 2026 national budget, after initial Senate cuts raised concerns that more than one million poor patients could lose access to medical aid. Lawmakers said MAIFIP assures payment to public and private hospitals for emergency care of indigent patients and complements PhilHealth by covering gaps in insurance benefits, supporting the implementation of the Universal Health Care Program.

The Department of Justice announced that former DPWH-NCR regional director Engineer Gerard Opulencia returned P40 million as part of a pledged P150 million linked to alleged flood control project kickbacks. DOJ OIC Fredderick Vida said the money turnover, witnessed by Treasury officials, will undergo verification by Land Bank. Opulencia, provisionally under the Witness Protection Program, provided testimony deemed material by prosecutors in an ongoing probe involving projects in Bulacan and related transactions. He faces a pending preliminary investigation before the Office of the Ombudsman while DOJ continues to review financial records and witness statements.

The Bureau of Immigration has asked the Department of Foreign Affairs to cancel the passport of mining executive Joseph Sy and has initiated deportation proceedings against him over alleged identity falsification. Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the bureau requested verification of Sy’s passport records, placed him on the immigration lookout list, and coordinated with law enforcement agencies to gather supporting documents and testimonies. The DFA will decide on the passport cancellation request, while the BI Board of Commissioners will hear the deportation case and evaluate evidence from both the bureau and Sy.

The Department of Health (DOH) announces a plan to expand its zero-balance billing program to local government unit (LGU) hospitals across the Philippines, aiming to reduce out-of-pocket costs for patients. The DOH will coordinate with LGUs, align the program with PhilHealth and other health financing mechanisms, and issue detailed guidelines on eligibility, coverage and billing procedures. The agency will phase in implementation based on hospital readiness and available resources and will monitor compliance and impact through reporting and audits.

Vice President Sara Duterte rejects revived plunder and graft complaints filed against her and several officials of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, calling the cases a “fishing expedition” meant to justify investigations and divert attention from alleged corruption. Duterte says she and the other respondents are ready to answer the allegations before proper forums and maintains that all transactions under her watch complied with the law. She adds that the OVP and DepEd will continue their programs while the complaints undergo legal review.

Civic and church groups filed plunder and graft complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte before the Office of the Ombudsman, alleging misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds through parallel funding schemes involving the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education. The complainants asked the Ombudsman to investigate the source, release, and use of the funds, subpoena budget and audit records, and pursue criminal charges if warranted. The Ombudsman docketed the case for evaluation and has yet to announce further investigative actions or a timetable.