MANILA — Senator Risa Hontiveros urged the realignment of a portion of the P255 billion flood control funds in the proposed 2026 budget to address the 90,375-bed capacity gap in public hospitals.

Citing data from the Department of Health (DOH), Hontiveros said only 28,153 beds are available nationwide, far below the 118,528 beds provided for under existing laws.

“Sobrang layo ng agwat! Imbes na ma-ghost na naman tayo sa flood control, mas mabuting ibigay na lang sa DOH ang pondo para mapaliit ang bed capacity gap. Tigilan na ang siksikan,” said Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, during a committee hearing.

“Pati pala sa mga hospital beds, kailangan ng catch up plan. It’s about time that Filipino patients stop competing for space and care,” she added.

The senator said Congress should swiftly convert part of the flood control allocation into hospital capacity, noting that Malacañang had earlier included DOH programs in its list of agencies that could benefit from realignment. These include the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP), provision of medicines, and the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP).

“Malacañang has already cleared the path. Kailangang mag-materialize itong 90,000 hospital beds—kumpleto sa equipment at health workers. Hindi yan mangyayari kung hahayaan lang natin tangayin ang pera ng taumbayan sa baha ng korapsyon habang nagsisiksikan ang dalawang tao o higit pa sa iisang kama sa ospital,” she said.

Hontiveros committed to work with her fellow senators to increase funding for health reforms in the 2026 budget.

“We will work very closely together na patuloy na pondohan at higit na pondohan yung mga reporma sa kalusugan na patuloy na isusulong namin sa Senado,” she said. “Sisiguraduhin ko na sulit ang buwis natin, kapalit ang serbisyong deserve nating lahat.”