The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has increased the loan for a program aimed at expanding universal health care in the country by $250 million, bringing the total financing to $750 million.
In a statement, the multilateral lender said that it increased the loan amount for the Build Universal Health Care Program Subprogram 3 as oil price and supply shocks triggered by the Middle East conflict have widened the government’s financing needs.
The loan increase will be sourced from the $1.75 billion in additional support offered by ADB president Masato Kanda to President Marcos in May.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency is also providing about $188 million in parallel co-financing, higher than the original amount of $130 million.
Under the program, the aim is to improve Filipinos’ access to quality health services.
This includes services for women’s health needs and health impacts due to extreme weather.
Subprogram 3 will continue to support the universal enrollment in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), alongside the decline in household out-of-pocket spending on health to 42.7 percent in 2024 from 48.8 percent in 2019.
The program has expanded PhilHealth benefit packages to cover primary care, emergency services and additional medicines.
In addition, it has helped increase no-copayment beds in public and private facilities.
Mobile health units, emergency medical assistance teams and community health teams have also been deployed under PuroKalusugan in underserved areas through the program.
‘Conflict does not have to cross a border to enter a family’s home. It arrives in the price of medicine and in whether the lights stay on,’ Kanda said.
‘ADB is acting so Filipinos can get the health care they need,’ he added.