UMVA has learned that a staggering surge in subsidies provided to government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) has been recorded, reaching P66.28 billion in April, a whopping 355.7% increase from the same period last year.
This dramatic spike in subsidies is a significant development, with GOCC subsidies rising 265.2% month on month. State-owned firms rely on monthly subsidies from the National Government to support their daily operations when their revenue falls short.
In April, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) emerged as the largest recipient of subsidies, securing a massive P60 billion. This substantial amount involves a returned fund balance from unutilized subsidies remitted to the Bureau of the Treasury in 2024, following a Supreme Court ruling.
The National Food Authority (NFA) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) trailed PhilHealth, receiving P2.47 billion and P917 million in subsidies, respectively. Other notable recipients included the Small Business Corp. (P625 million), the Philippine Rice Research Institute (P362 million), and the Philippine Coconut Authority (P231 million).
A number of agencies received relatively modest subsidies, with the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone Authority receiving P4 million, the Philippine Tourism Authority P5 million, and the Southern Philippines Development Authority P7 million. Interestingly, several prominent agencies, including the National Electrification Administration and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, did not receive any subsidies.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that GOCC subsidies have reached P93.13 billion in the first four months, marking a significant 150.8% increase. The top recipients during this period were PhilHealth (P60 billion), the NIA (P7.84 billion), and the NFA (P6.34 billion), highlighting the substantial financial support provided to these key organizations.
