MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte will appoint someone who has the investigative experience and has “zero tolerance against corrupt practices at the helm of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), President’s long-time aide and now Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said Monday.
The President is expected to name the new PhilHealth chief later in the day.
“Silent worker po ang taong ito. Marunong mag-account at may karanasan sa pag-imbestiga. Inaasahan nating ipapamalas niya ang kanyang political will para tuluyang linisin ang ahensya, itigil ang corruption, at panagutin ang mga may sala,” Go said in a statement.
(This person is a silent worker. This person knows how to account and is an experienced investigator. We are expecting that he will show his political will to once and for all clean the agency, rid it of corruption, and make sure those liable are held accountable.)
He said the mission of the new PhilHealth chief is to bring the people’s trust back with the state insurer and ensure that funds are properly used for the service of the Filipino public, especially when it comes to health.
“Sinisigurado po ng Pangulo na naka-linya sa anti-corruption campaign ng administrasyon ang kanyang bagong ia-appoint — with zero tolerance against corrupt practices,” the senator said.
(The President assures that the person he will appoint is in line with his anti-corruption campaign—with zero tolerance against corrupt practices.)
“The leader that the President will appoint must balance improving PhilHealth services to the public while putting an end to the perennial issues of deep-rooted, systemic corruption plaguing the state health insurance agency for years,” he added.
The post of PhilHealth chief was vacated when its president and CEO, Ricardo Morales, tendered his resignation last week after the President said it was “best” for him to step down due to his health condition amid corruption claims hounding PhilHealth.
It was in July last year when Duterte appointed Morales, a retired Army brigadier general, as PhilHealth president and CEO to rid the agency of corruption.