THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Board of Directors has approved an additional ₱1.16-billion allocation to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) for 2026.
This latest approval raises the agency’s total mandated contribution to the national health insurer to ₱3.85 billion for the year.
The top-up is expected to push PCSO’s cumulative remittances to PhilHealth to approximately ₱13.98 billion since 2022 by the end of the year.
According to agency records, PCSO has already remitted ₱11.47 billion through the Bureau of the Treasury over the past four years.
This includes ₱2.71 billion in 2022, ₱2 billion in 2023, ₱2.13 billion in 2024, ₱2.87 billion in 2025, and ₱1.94 billion in the first half of 2026.
An additional ₱2.51 billion is projected for remittance in the second half of 2026 to complete the ₱13.98-billion cumulative total.
Under Republic Act No. 11223, or the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act, the PCSO is legally mandated to allocate 40 percent of its Charity Fund to support the implementation of universal healthcare, helping fund expanded benefit packages for PhilHealth members and their dependents.
PCSO General Manager Melquiades A. Robles emphasized that the funds are crucial to easing the financial strain on Filipino households facing medical emergencies.
“Behind these figures are Filipino families who depend on PhilHealth when a loved one is hospitalized or needs medical treatment,” Robles said.
“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,” said Robles.
Robles added that fulfilling the UHC requirement aligns with the agency’s broader mandate to deliver charitable assistance, noting that returning gaming revenues to the public protects family health and preserves dignity during crises.
The agency noted that its institutional support for PhilHealth complements its ongoing direct assistance programs, which cover hospitalization, prescription medicines, diagnostic testing, and other critical health services for patients nationwide.
