SUBSIDIES extended to government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) rose 81.65% year on year in November, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said.
The BTr reported that budgetary support to GOCCs amounted to P12.23 billion in November.
Month on month, GOCC subsidies rose 2.21%.
State-owned firms receive monthly subsidies from the National Government (NG) to support their daily operations if their revenue is insufficient.
The National Irrigation Authority (NIA) received the top subsidy for November with P6.84 billion, followed by the National Food Authority (NFA) with P3 billion, and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) with P900 million.
The NIA was the top GOCC recipient in the first 11 months.
Receiving at least P200 million in subsidies were the National Power Corp. with P248 million and the Philippine Children’s Medical Center with P211 million.
The Philippine Heart Center (P168 million), the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (P163 million), the Social Housing Finance Corp. (P127 million), and the Philippine Coconut Authority (P87 million) rounded out the list.
Receiving less that P100 million were the Light Rail Transit Authority (P72 million), the Lung Center of the Philippines (P70 million), and the Development Academy of the Philippines (P57 million).
At least P50 million in subsidies were granted to the Philippine Rubber Research Institute (P55 million), the Cultural Center of the Philippines (P38 million), the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (P21 million), and Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (P20 million).
In the P20 million or less category were the People’s Television Network, Inc. (P18 million), the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (P17 million), and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (P16 million).
Those granted subsidies below P15 million were the Intercontinental Broadcasting Corp. (IBC-13) (P12 million), the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (P9 million), and the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (P9 million).
Also on the subsidy list were the Philippine Tax Academy, the Credit Information Corp., and the Tourism Promotions Board (P5 million each), while the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone Authority and the Philippine Center for Economic Development received P4 million and P3 million respectively.
GOCCs that did not receive subsidies for the month included PhilHealth, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, the Sugar Regulatory Administration, the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp., the Philippine Postal Corp., and the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority.
Also receiving no subsidies were the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, the Philippine National Railways, the National Housing Authority, the Small Business Corp., the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp., the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp., the National Home Mortgage Finance Corp., and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
In the first 11 months, subsidies totaled P129.44 billion, down 15.43% from a year earlier.
During the period, the National Irrigation Administration took in P67.05 billion or 51.80% of the total, followed by PhilHealth (P9.60 billion) and the NFA (P8.26 billion).
In the 11 months, PhilHealth subsidies declined 81.08% from a year earlier.
Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said the subsidies reflect the impact of the budget deficit, in the wake of the adverse weather, which put pressure on the National Government (NG) to provide more assistance to calamity zones.
He also cited the preparations for the May 2025 midterm elections, in view of the need to expedite some government projects especially infrastructure and other programs before the election ban sets in.
PhilHealth only received subsidies twice in 2024, in June (P260 million) and September (P9.34 billion).
PhilHealth was allocated zero subsidies in the 2025 budget, signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., but reported a P150 billion surplus and P280 billion total reserves as of October. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante