Manila: Members of the Board of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) approved on Tuesday an additional PHP1.16-billion contribution to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) for 2026 pursuant to the Universal Health Care Act, raising the agency's total contribution for the year to PHP3.85 billion.
According to Philippines News Agency, the revised contribution is expected to bring PCSO's cumulative remittances to PhilHealth from 2022 to approximately PHP13.98 billion by the end of 2026. PCSO General Manager Melquiades Robles emphasized that the agency's contributions play a crucial role in strengthening the health protection available to Filipino patients and their families, especially when medical expenses become a significant financial burden.
"Behind these figures are Filipino families who depend on PhilHealth when a loved one is hospitalized or needs medical treatment. In support of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s healthcare agenda, PCSO's contribution helps strengthen the system that protects Filipinos from having to shoulder the full cost of health care on their own," Robles stated.
Under the Universal Health Care Act, PCSO is mandated to allocate 40 percent of its Charity Fund to support the implementation of Universal Health Care (UHC). Furthermore, PCSO has remitted a total of PHP11.47 billion through the Bureau of the Treasury since 2022. The agency remitted PHP2.71 billion in 2022; PHP2 billion in 2023; PHP2.13 billion in 2024; PHP2.87 billion in 2025; and PHP1.94 billion in the first half of 2026. Another PHP2.51 billion is projected to be remitted during the second half of 2026, bringing PCSO's cumulative contributions to approximately PHP13.98 billion by year-end.
These funds are pivotal in sustaining and improving health benefits for PhilHealth members and their qualified dependents. Moreover, Robles highlighted that PCSO's compliance with the law is closely tied to its broader mandate of providing health and charitable assistance to the Filipino people. "This is not simply a financial obligation for PCSO. It is part of our responsibility to ensure that the revenues generated by the agency are returned to the people in ways that protect their health, preserve their dignity, and give families one less burden to carry during difficult times," he added.
PCSO's contributions to PhilHealth complement its direct medical and charitable assistance programs for patients requiring hospitalization, medicines, diagnostic procedures, and other health-related services.
