THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) announced on Tuesday that it allocated less than ₱2 million for its year-end activities, aligning with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s call to simplify holiday celebrations.
Dr. Israel Francis Pargas, Senior Vice President for the Health Finance Policy Sector, shared that over 1,000 employees will attend the year-end event on December 18, with the budget primarily covering food expenses.
“We are following Malacañang’s instructions to scale down Christmas parties or year-end activities,” Pargas said in an exclusive interview.
President Marcos had earlier urged government agencies to keep holiday celebrations modest and redirect savings to communities affected by recent tropical cyclones.
PhilHealth also clarified its earlier ₱138-million budget controversy, emphasizing that the amount was a proposed fund for its nationwide 30th-anniversary events in 2025, which would include activities across its head office, 17 regional offices, and over 100 local health insurance offices.
Pargas reiterated that the proposal remains unapproved.