ADB boosts healthcare funding for Filipinos to $750M

MANILA, Philippines — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has increased its financing for the Philippines’ universal healthcare program, helping ease the government’s funding needs as an oil price shock linked to the Middle East conflict strained the economy.

In a statement, the Manila-based lender said its package included a $750-million loan for the third subprogram of the Build Universal Health Care Program.

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The ADB raised its financing for the subprogram by $250 million as higher oil prices and supply disruptions widened the government’s financing needs.

The increase draws from up to $1.75 billion in additional support that ADB President Masato Kanda offered President Marcos in May.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency is providing about $188 million in parallel financing, up from an initial $130 million.

The program is aimed at expanding equitable access to quality healthcare, including services tailored to women’s health needs and the health risks posed by extreme weather.

Subprogram 3 has supported universal enrollment in Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), while helping reduce the share of household health spending paid out of pocket to 42.7 percent in 2024 from 48.8 percent in 2019.

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It has also expanded PhilHealth coverage to primary care, emergency services and additional medicines, increased the availability of beds with no copayments in public and private hospitals and deployed mobile health units, emergency medical teams and community health teams in underserved areas.

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The ADB provided $6.8 billion in loans, grants and cofinancing to the Philippines in 2025, nearly 12 percent more than a year earlier. The country received the largest share of ADB funding, followed by India. INQ