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Unfinished guidelines delay funding for Universal Healthcare: Sen. Panfilo Lacson prods the Department of Health officials (DOH) to issue the guidelines for implementing funding appropriations for the Universal Healthcare (UHC) program so that P17.3 billion could be remitted to fund the program. Lacson, during the hybrid plenary deliberation on the P212.7 billion proposed budget of DOH for 2021, Wednesday, November 18, 2020, said the guideline is required before the Bureau of Treasury could release P17.3 billion to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or 50 percent of the P34.6 billion remitted by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) in 2019. Pursuant to Section 37 of the UHC law, Lacson noted that 50 percent of the national government share from the income of PAGCOR and 40 percent from the charity fund of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office collections shall be used for the implementation of the UHC. (Albert Calvelo/ Senate PRIB)