DOH to get P48.3 billion from sin taxes

MANILA, Philippines - On top of its regular budget, the Department of Health (DOH) stands to get around P48.3 billion in additional funds from sin taxes and Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) this year.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona said while the agency’s budget has been on the rise since 2010, its coffer has been enhanced by these fund sources.

“Even without sin taxes, our budget has already increased significantly. In 2010, the DOH’s budget was about P24 billion. In 2011 it went up to about P25 billion and to P45 billion in 2013. This year, it is P83 billion,” Ona said in a forum organized by the Philippine College of Physicians.

He said under the sin tax law, the DOH would get some P45.1 billion, representing 85 percent of the incremental revenues from sin taxes.

“The (sin) tax is P51.4 billion and the DOH’s share is 85 percent. The remaining 15 percent is allocated for farmers of tobacco-producing provinces and employees of cigarette factories,” Ona said.

Of the P45.1 billion, at least P35.3 billion will go to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) for the enrollment of 14.7 million indigent families or 45 million individuals this year.

The 14.7 million enrollment is up from the 5.2 million poor families subsidized in PhilHealth starting two years ago.

At least P6.7 billion is allocated for the enhancement program of government health facilities, which will benefit DOH hospitals as well as those run by local government units.

Ona said the DOH would also get P3.2 billion from the realignment of PDAF, or the pork barrel. He said the amount would be used for medical assistance programs for the poor.