MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has rescheduled to Feb. 4sure win ph, 2025 the oral arguments on the consolidated petitions challenging the constitutionality of the diversion of excess funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to the national treasury to augment unprogrammed appropriations in the 2024 national budget.

The rescheduling was provided in a resolution dated Nov. 12 but made public by the SC Public Information Office recently.

The oral arguments were originally set on Jan. 14, 2025.

In October, the high tribunal issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) stopping the further transfer of the PhilHealth funds.

PhilHealth remitted to the national treasury the first tranche of P20 billion in May and another P10 billion in August.

The state insurer remitted the third tranche of funds amounting to P30 billion in October.

With the TRO, the remaining P29.9 billion in PhilHealth funding, which was supposed to be transferred in November, will no longer be diverted until the petitions are resolved.

The high tribunal has said it is still possible for the SC to tackle the petitioners’ plea for a status quo ante order, which would allow the return of the PhilHealth funds already transmitted to state coffers.

The petitioners include Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, former finance undersecretary Cielo Magno, Bayan Muna party-list and 1Sambayan Coalition led by former SC Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio.

The petitioners argued that the transfer was unconstitutional and threatens the implementation of the Universal Health Care Act.

Named respondents were Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Senate President Francis Escuderosure win ph, Speaker Martin Romualdez, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and PhilHealth president Emmanuel Ledesma Jr.

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