Manila: Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday urged Congress to realign part of the proposed PHP255-billion flood-control allocation for 2026 to address the shortage of government hospital beds. Hontiveros highlighted that the current number of beds in public hospitals, as reported by the Department of Health (DOH), stands at 28,153, which is significantly lower than the 118,528 beds required under the law.

According to Philippines News Agency, the senator suggested that redirecting a portion of the flood-control budget could potentially provide up to 90,375 additional hospital beds. Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, emphasized the importance of closing the gap in hospital bed capacity to prevent overcrowding. She expressed concerns over the misuse of flood-control funds, advocating instead for their allocation to the DOH.

Hontiveros noted that Malaca±ang had previously identified several DOH programs as candidates for budget realignment. These include the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP), the provision of medicines, and medical assistance for indigent patients under the Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients (MAIFIP).

"The Palace has already cleared the path. What we need here is to make this shift happen," she stated, underscoring her commitment to collaborate with her Senate colleagues to secure additional funds for health reforms in the 2026 budget. "We will work very closely together to continue funding and increasing investments in health sector reforms that we are pushing in the Senate," Hontiveros added.