Dr. Lloyd Barba

15/11/2025

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗛𝗶𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀

We, the undersigned heads of health professional organizations, raise our united voice against the hijacking of Universal Health Care (UHC). The government has put up a deliberate, coordinated effort to divert and politicize the funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), the nation’s primary payer for individual health services.

Over the past three years, Congress has taken actions that betray the intent of the UHC Act and the Sin Tax Reform Law, undermining the right of every Filipino to equitable, reliable, and publicly funded health care. These actions weaken our health system, perpetuate political patronage, and endanger millions of Filipino lives.

𝟭. 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 (𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰):
In 2024, ₱𝟲𝟬 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 was diverted from PhilHealth to the national treasury to fund programs like infrastructure, which are not under the mandate of PhilHealth. This violated existing laws and deprived millions of Filipinos the opportunity for higher health care benefits. The diversion, now challenged before the Supreme Court, must be corrected to restore the rule of law in health financing.

𝟮. 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 (𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯-𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱):
Despite laws mandating a national subsidy of premiums for indirect contributors, and availability of funds from Sin Taxes, PAGCOR and PCSO, congress has failed to appropriate a total of ₱𝟮𝟱𝟱 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 to PhilHealth since 2023. This included a zero budget in 2025, which was approved in a secret closed door bicameral conference meeting. Based on actuarial estimates, these deliberate violations of the UHC Act and the Sin Tax Law threaten to cripple the government's ability to provide adequate funds for health care in the near future. This is a clear breach of public trust.

𝟯. 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 (𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲):
Instead of raising PhilHealth’s budget to accommodate greater
benefits, Congress doubled the Medical Assistance for Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) fund - from ₱24
billion to ₱49 billion. MAIFIP duplicates PhilHealth’s function and allows politicians to disburse assistance at their discretion. This revives the pork-barrel system under a new name and weakens PhilHealth - the agency designated by the UHC Act as the major payer for individual-based healthcare services in the country.

𝟰. 𝗘𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲𝘀:
Proposed House Bills No. 1316, 5364, 5207, and 5212 surreptitiously lower taxes on v***r products and suspended annual increases, reducing revenues for health programs and benefiting the industry’s interests over public welfare. This is clear evidence of legislators being influenced by strong market forces.

All of these actions form a coherent and deliberate pattern. Together, they reveal a system of political capture, transforming public health funds into instruments of patronage. This is not reform. It is the hijack of Universal Health Care for political self-interests.

𝗪𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿:
1. the addition of all previously diverted (₱𝟲𝟬 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰) and unappropriated funds (₱𝟮𝟱𝟱 𝗕 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯) to the legitimate PhilHealth budget of at least ₱𝟭𝟰𝟳 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, to fund additional PhilHealth benefits for all Filipinos;
2. the transfer of discretionary medical funds like MAIFIP to PhilHealth for funding of zero balance benefits for indigent patients;
3. rejection of v**e tax amendments that increase the number of smokers and v**ers and reduce health revenues; and
4. full disclosure and accountability in all congressional budget actions affecting UHC.

We also call on the Supreme Court to decide swiftly on cases challenging the 2024 fund diversion and the 2025 zero budget. Our people are suffering. Please hear their pleas for help.

𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲’𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁. 𝗜𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀.

Signed (as of 16 November 2025)
1. Philippine Medical Association (PMA)
2. Philippine College of Physicians (P*P)
3. Philippine College of Surgeons (PCS)
4. Philippine Association of Medical Technologists (PAMET)
5. Philippine League of Government and Private Midwives (PLGPMI)
6. Philippine Pharmacists Association (PPhA)
7. Alliance for Improving Health Outcomes (AIHO)
8. Asia-Oceania Research Organization on Gynecologic Infections and Neoplasia (AOGIN)
9. Asia-Pacific Center for Evidence-Based Health Care (APCEBH)
10. Child Neurology Society (CNS)
11. Kalusugan ng Mag-Ina (KMI)
12. ANG NARS
13. Pain Society of the Philippines
14. Pediatric Nephrology Society of the Philippines (PNSP)
15. Philippine Academic Society of Social and Community Medicine (PASCOM)
16. Philippine Academy for Head and Neck Surgery (PAHNSI)
17. Philippine Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP)
18. Philippine Academy of Occupational Therapists (PAOT)
19. Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology (PAO)
20. Philippine Academy of Pediatric Pulmonologists (PAPP)
21. Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine (PARM)
22. Philippine Addiction Specialists Society (PASS)
23. Philippine Ambulatory Pediatrics Association (PAPA)
24. Philippine Association for the Study of Overweight and Obesity (PSSOO)
25. Philippine Association of Medical Journal Editors (PAMJE)
26. Philippine Association of Nutrition (PAN)
27. Philippine Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (PAPRAS)
28. Philippine Association of Speech-Language Pathologists (PASP)
29. Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP)
30. Philippine College of Emergency Medicine (PCEM)
31. Philippine College of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (PCEDM)
32. Philippine College of Occupational Medicine (PCOM)
33. Philippine College of Geriatric Medicine (PCGM)
34. Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS)
35. Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Physicians Association
36. Philippine Heart Association (PHA)
37. Philippine Hospital Association
38. Philippine League Against Epilepsy
39. Philippine Lipid and Atherosclerosis Society (PLAS)
40. Philippine Neurological Association (PNA)
41. Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society (POGS)
42. Philippine Orthopaedic Association (POA)
43. Philippine Physical Therapy Association (PPTA)
44. Philippine Psychiatric Association (PPA)
45. Philippine Rheumatology Association (PRA)
46. Philippine Society Of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (PSO-HNS)
47. Philippine Society for Cervical Pathology and Colposcopy (PSCPC)
48. Philippine Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (PSCAP)
49. Philippine Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (PSDBP)
50. Philippine Society for Gynecologic Endoscopy (PSGE)
51. Philippine Society for Literature and Narrative Medicine (PSLNM)
52. Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID)
53. Philippine Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (PSPGHAN)
54. Philippine Society for Reproductive Medicine (PSRM)
55. Philippine Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (PSAAI)
56. Philippine Society of Cardiovascular Catheterization and Interventions (PSCCI)
57. Philippine Society of Climacteric Medicine (PSCM)
58. Philippine Society of Clinical and Occupational Toxicology (PSCOT)
59. Philippine Society of Critical Care Medicine (PSCCM)
60. Philippine Society of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology (PSECP)
61. Philippine Society of Gastroenterology (PSG)
62. Philippine Society of General Internal Medicine (PSGIM)
63. Philippine Society of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (PSHPM)
64. Philippine Society of Hypertension (PSH)
65. Philippine Society of Medical Oncology (PSMO)
66. Philippine Society of Nephrology (PSN)
67. Philippine Society of Pediatric Hematology (PSPH)
68. Philippine Society of Public Health Physicians (PSPHP)
69. Philippine Society of Reproductive Immunologists (PSRI)
70. Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAPI)
71. Society of Gynecologic Oncologists of the Philippines (SGOP)

Watch the video "Ihinto na ang Pag-Hijack sa Pondo ng PhilHealth!" here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1GurGjznTp/

09/10/2025

08/10/2025

We built 600 health centers.
Only 200 are open.
Are these "ghost" projects, or a "ghosted" health system?
Until we fix staffing, funding, and respect for health workers, our healthcare will stay hollow.

21/09/2025

Wag kang matakot, sila ang dapat matakot!

Medtech, Nars, Pharmacist, PT, RT, Dietitians, mga Doktor at iba pang kasama sa Allied Health at lalong lao na ang mga naghihikahos na mga pasyente. Kahit sino sa atin ay walang ligtas sa korapsiyon, tayo ay kabilang sa araw-araw na inaabuso at biktima ng sistemang ito.

𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗮𝘆𝗼! 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗺𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝘆𝗼!

Alam naming mas pipiliin nating magpahinga kesa maging presenta sa Luneta o EDSA, karapatan natin iyon at nararapat lang din naman iyon. O di kaya naman ay nasa duty o tawag ng obligasyon kaya hindi din makakasama, tama lang din naman iyon—pasyente muna, obligasyon muna. Ngunit nais namin ipaalala na marami kang pwedeng gawin upang ipahayag ang iyong galit sa mga katiwalian, ang simple pagiging mulat sa katotohanan at hindi nagbubulag-bulag sa kamalian ng sistema ay isa na ring paraan. Mag-ingay ka, mag reklamo ka, kumalampag ka, makiisa ka, dahil walang ligtas sa isang malawakang korapsiyon sa sistema.

Sa mga 𝗞𝗢𝗥𝗔𝗣 na 𝗣𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗞𝗢 ano pa ang saysay ng aming pagliligtas ng buhay kung nais niyo lang din sila/kami mamatay; sa kakulangan ng gamot, kakulangan sa pasilidad sa pagamutan, gutom, baha, at mga sakit dulot ng inyong kapabayaan, pagkagahaman, at kasakiman. Mangilabot at matakot naman kayo.

✊🏼

Objectives

08/09/2025

18/08/2025

Every time a Filipino doctor or nurse goes abroad, people say: “Nag-abroad na naman. Iniwan ang bayan.”

But the truth is, they’re not leaving the country. They’re escaping a broken system.

The real problem isn’t migration, it’s the system that pushes our healers away.

Doctors and nurses don’t want to abandon the Philippines. Many dream of serving here. But when the system is broken—leaving becomes an act of survival, not betrayal.

Sources:
Marcos to doctors, nurses: Stay, serve in the Philippines
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2097148/fwd-marcos-on-healthcare-system

Uneven distribution of health workers in PH - PIDS study
https://www.pids.gov.ph/details/address-uneven-distribution-of-health-workers-in-ph-pids-study

Who Are the Health Workers and Where Are They? Revealed Preferences in Location Decision among Health Care Professionals in the Philippines (Abrigo and Ortiz, 2019)
https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1932.pdf

15/08/2025

I read a post about a doctor who gave everything for their patients—time, energy, even their own health—yet passed away feeling shortchanged.

It’s a painful truth in our profession. We pour our hearts out, but sometimes the system forgets to care for us in return.

To my fellow doctors: your kindness is your strength, but your life matters too.

14/08/2025

"...our profession is evolving and that the practice of medicine will also evolve, not just from a knowledge aspect but also from a societal standpoint. It is no longer acceptable to subject our trainees to inhumane conditions, even if we did survive them."

As Gen X doctors who graduated from medical school in 2001, it was an implied commandment that you couldn’t be absent unless you had a life-threatening illness. High fever and chills? As long as you could walk, you would come in anyway. The patients always come first.

Read more in the comments section.

12/08/2025

"This is not merely a reputational issue; it is clinical. When propaganda overwhelms facts, patients receive worse care, physicians practice defensively, and confidence in both doctors and the health-care system erodes."

[EDITORIAL] The Chilling Effect On Care: How Harassment Undermines Doctors And Patients

Read: https://www.advocatesomi.com/2024/recent/the-chilling-effect-on-care-how-harassment-undermines-doctors-and-patients

10/08/2025

Doctor shaming is real in the Philippines. And it’s hurting both our doctors and our patients.

From expecting free consultations anytime, to blaming doctors for system failures, to discrediting them online, these actions chip away at trust, morale, and the future of healthcare in our country.

I’m sharing 5 common ways we shame doctors (and why they’re wrong) — so we can unlearn them and start building a culture of respect for the people who keep us alive.

📌 Fix the system. Stop shaming the people keeping it alive.

Resources:
Need to increase supply of medical workers: https://cids.up.edu.ph/the-need-to-increase-supply-of-medical-workers-and-build-telemedicine-infrastructure-to-prepare-for-future-public-health-crises/
Health workforce issues: https://human-resources-health.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12960-025-00988-3
Addressing Health Worker Satisfaction and Retention: https://cids.up.edu.ph/addressing-health-worker-satisfaction-retention-in-philippine-primary-care/
Case study on doctor shaming: https://globusjournal.com/a-case-study-on-doctor-shaming-in-social-media-and-its-effects-on-the-perception-of-the-philippines-healthcare-system-among-the-residents-of-the-national-capital-region/