MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday said the alleged corruption within the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is “alarming” especially as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
During her weekly radio program, Robredo said the corruption allegations within PhilHealth is something that has to be taken seriously by the government.
“Ito nakakabahala ito kasi ngayon iyong panahon na pinakakailangan natin ang PhilHealth. Ngayon iyong panahon na pinakakailangan natin ang PhilHealth kasi marami sa atin nagkakasakit,” Robredo said.
“Marami sa nagkakasakit hindi kayang bayaran iyong cost ng kaniyang hospitalization, ng kaniyang medication,” the Vice President added.
Robredo took note that President Rodrigo Duterte himself hit PhilHealth in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2019.
“Kapag nagkaroon ng korapsyon sa PhilHealth, nakaw iyon. Nakaw iyon sa pera ng tao. Kasi ang PhilHealth, contributions. Ang PhilHealth galing sa pera ng gobyerno,” Robredo said.
(If there is corruption in PhilHealth, that’s stealing. That’s stealing from the money of the public because PhilHealth collects contributions. PhilHealth came from the funds of the government.)
“Kung totoong may korapsyon, gusto bang sabihin hindi nakinig kay Presidente last year? Kasi ito na ang sinabi ni Presidente, ‘di ba? Ito na ang sinabi ni Presidente noong nakaraan, last year na iyong korapsyon sa PhilHealth—nagkaroon na ng change in leadership. So, anong nangyari?” she added.
(If it is true that there is corruption, do they want to say that they didn’t listen to the President last year? Because this is what the President said, right? This is what he said last year regarding the corruption in Philhealth. There was a change in leadership, so what happened?)
PhilHealth president and Chief Executive Officer Ricardo Morales earlier said lawyer Thorrsson Montes Keith, who resigned due to alleged “widespread corruption” in the agency, was only “vengeful” after supposedly being denied a job position he was applying for.
Duterte has ordered an investigation into alleged irregularities in Philhealth.