New PhilHealth chief says he is ‘scared but not cowed’ by task

MANILA, Philippines — “I am scared but I’m not cowed.”

Former National Bureau of Investigation director Dante Gierran admitted this  on Tuesday after he was appointed as the new chief of the embattled Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

“I would like to succeed. I was telling you and I was telling all those interviews before you. I am scared but I’m not cowed,” Gierran said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel.

Gierran then asked Filipinos to give PhilHealth “a chance” as he attempts to return public trust to the state insurer amid allegations of corruption.

“Give PhilHealth a chance. My job is to restore the confidence, the trust of the people to the government,” he said.

“I am new, give me a chance to lead. Pagbigyan niyo muna ako. Don’t pre-judge me, because of my experience in this and that. Let us see. After all, if I can’t do my job, I’ll tell my principal,” he went on.

Gierran will replace Ricardo Morales who recently resigned as PhilHealth chief after President Rodrigo Duterte himself asked him to step down due to his on-and-off health condition.

Morales’ resignation came at the heels of investigations being conducted over the alleged corruption within PhilHealth.

Among allegations of irregularities within the state insurer are its alleged overpriced information technology project and its questionable release of funds under its interim reimbursement mechanism.

Earlier, Duterte’s earstwhile aide and close confidant, Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go said Monday that Duterte will appoint someone who has the investigative experience and has “zero tolerance against corrupt practices at the helm of PhilHealth.

Malacañang also said last week that the new PhilHealth chief must be incorruptible and must be able to return the public’s trust in the state insurer.

EDV