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National government support to state firms cooled sharply from June's one-time ₱10-billion Food Terminal Inc. payout, but the first seven months of 2026 already account for nearly half of this year's ₱264.82-billion GOCC subsidy budget, driven largely by a ₱60-billion return to PhilHealth.
Bureau of the Treasury data show national government support to GOCCs jumped 117.6% to ₱98 billion in the first five months of 2026, with a single ₱60-billion April release to PhilHealth accounting for most of the increase, while support for the country's biggest irrigation agency fell by nearly half.
A group of doctors and lawyers has filed a motion for reconsideration urging the Ombudsman to revive plunder and graft complaints against Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and former PhilHealth chief Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. over the diversion of P60 billion in PhilHealth reserve funds to the treasury, arguing the anti-graft body wrongly required proof of criminal intent for what they call a crime that is punished regardless of motive.
