Photo from Radyo Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Richard Gordon is pushing for a fixed term of three years for presidents of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) so they can have sufficient time to impose necessary policies in the state-run insurance firm.
“I really never favor short terms. Dapat you give them a right term of maybe three years and they should be renewed if they are magaling (perform well).” Gordon, chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel on Thursday.
“Makikita mo ang average diyan, sina Duque lang ang umabot ng 4 years. Lahat na ng sumunod two years,” he added, referring to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who appointed PhilHealth president in 2001.
(Only Duque had four years as PhilHealth president. All the others served for two years.)
Gordon also noted that some PhilHealth chiefs had only held the top position for one year or less.
He said the period allotted for presidents of the state insurer is not sufficient for them to craft policies to improve practices in the agency.
“Samakatwid, hindi ka talaga makakabuwelo. Pareho ‘yan sa Armed Forces na revolving door, walang policy na magagawa. Nag-aaral ka pa lang, sinisibak ka na ng mga tao doon sapagkat malalim na ang talim ng mafia doon sa loob ng PhilHealth,” he added.
(You cannot gain momentum. It is like in the Armed Forces where you have a revolving door. You are just studying the system but you are immediately removed from the post, because the mafia is deeply rooted within PhilHealth.)
Regarding current PhilHealth president and CEO Ricardo Morales, Gordon said: “Morales is kinda slow, sa tingin ko, for a soldier with his reputation.”
“Pag naglagay ka ng soldier, you must be decisive, eh pag gumalaw siya hinahaplit na siya kaagad. He is being attacked left and right, and you know he is not at best health,” the senator added.
(If you have placed a soldier there, he must be decisive. But whenever he moves, he is being attacked left and right, and you know he is not in good health.)
Morales, a retired military general, earlier revealed he is undergoing treatment for lymphoma or cancer of the lymph nodes. He has filed for a medical leave from August 17 to 28.
The Senate has earlier decided to terminate its investigation on the alleged corruption in PhilHealth, with Senate President Vicente Sotto III, chairman of the Senate Committee of the Whole, saying they are “done with the carousel of denials and lies.”