New PhilHealth chief Gierran admits no experience in public health services

Former NBI director now PhilHealth chief Dante Gierran. INQUIRER.net file photo / CATHY MIRANDA

MANILA, Philippines — Newly-installed PhilHealth chief Dante Gierran admitted on Tuesday that he has no knowledge nor experience in public health sector, even though it is one of the requirements as the head of the state insurer firm.

Under Section 14 of the Universal Health Care Law, the president and CEO of PhilHealth must have “at least seven years of experience in the field of public health, management, finance and health economics or a combination of any of these expertise.”

Gierran, a former director of the National Bureau of Investigation, said that while he has no experience in public health, he knows financial management, being a certified public accountant.

He also admitted that he does not know the operations of PhilHealth.

“Talagang what I don’t know is public health, I don’t know about that. I don’t have experience about public health,” he said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel.

“What I have knowledge of is financial management, being a CPA and about law and about insurance and my knowledge about investigation,” Gierran added.

President Rodrigo Duterte has named Gierran as the new head of PhilHealth, which is currently under fire due to several corruption allegations.

Gierran admitted that he is scared of his new appointment but “he is not cowed” by it.

“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.

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

JPV