President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday ordered Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro Herbosa to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of services by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

At the signing of the 2025 national budget in December last year, President Marcos assured PhilHealth will continue to provide uninterrupted services despite receiving zero subsidy from the budget.

“Make sure that services of PhilHealth remain unhampered … it (zero subsidy) should not affect the delivery of healthcare services,” President Marcos instructed Herbosa during a meeting at the Malacañan Palace.

The President reiterated the administration’s commitment to prioritizing social services in the 2025 national budget, focusing on key sectors such as education, health, economic services, infrastructure and agriculture.

During Tuesday’s meeting, President Marcos urged Herbosa to shift the DOH’s focus from cure to prevention, stressing that “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound in cure.”

The President also underscored the importance of digitalizing the DOH to enhance service delivery and efficiency.