Iloilo 1st District Representative and former Health Secretary Janette Garin questioned the Department of Health’s (DOH) reported $10-million (approximately ₱620 million) donation to the World Health Organization (WHO) regional office secretariat, arguing that the millions should have been spent on urgent local medical needs.
In a recent interview, Garin explained that financial contributions from member-states to global bodies are typically split into two categories: earmarked and unearmarked.
While most nations tie their funds to specific domestic health programs, diseases, or medical research, she claimed that the donation under current Health Secretary Ted Herbosa was left completely unearmarked.
“Ibig sabihin may ambag sa bayan mo,” Garin noted regarding earmarked funds, contrasting it with the flexible nature of the DOH grant. “Ibig sabihin bahala na yung global leadership kung gagamitin nila yan saan and it’s usually being spent on, let’s say, meetings or whatever.”
The lawmaker labeled the massive payout as “very impractical” given that millions of ordinary Filipinos still struggle to afford basic medicines and healthcare services.
Garin also highlighted the stark contrast between the Philippines’ contribution and those of its Southeast Asian neighbors, noting that Brunei gave $500,000, Malaysia pledged $2 million, Vietnam contributed $50,000, and Thailand reportedly gave nothing.
“Tayo naman talagang tumataginting na $10 million or ₱620 million. Parang nakisabay tayo sa mga bansang kagaya ng Singapore and Indonesia,” Garin remarked.
She emphasized that regular citizens gain no direct benefit from the multi-million peso donation, especially while life-saving vaccines for preventable conditions remain out of reach for many.
“Ang dami nating kababayan bumibili pa ng pneumonia vaccine… Kaya tuloy marami pa rin na mamatay sa rabies kasi mahal eh,” she stressed.
Garin is now demanding transparency on where the money was sourced, raising concerns that vital local health programs may have faced budget cuts just to fund the international donation.
“At ngayon nga ang malaking katanungan: Anong mga programa ang nabawasan? Saan ikinaltas ang ₱620M para i-donate?” she asked.