Building on DOH's recent push to route MAIFIP funds directly to LGUs and bicameral budget safeguards, the Senate has urged the Department of Health to fully eliminate guarantee letters in the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients program for the 2026 budget. Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian emphasized that DOH can act via guidelines without legislation, aiming to depoliticize aid. Anti-corruption watchdogs say the letters foster patronage politics.
On Monday, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian called on the Department of Health to scrap the guarantee letters system in the MAIFIP program through internal guidelines ahead of the 2026 national budget, noting, “Guarantee letters are part of the DOH’s process (and no law created the system). They don’t need legislation to remove that.” This aligns with prior DOH efforts to bypass politicians by sending funds directly to local governments and hospitals, as well as bicameral increases with anti-epal provisions banning political branding in aid distribution.
Anti-corruption watchdogs argue the letters tie aid access to political endorsements rather than eligibility, allowing politicians to claim taxpayer-funded credit.
Debate persists over the anti-epal provision's effectiveness, as it does not explicitly ban guarantee letters despite prohibiting political involvement, signage, and promotions. The push aims for fairer, merit-based access to MAIFIP aid for indigent patients.
