House defers deliberations on proposed 2021 budget of DOH

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives deferred early on Wednesday the plenary deliberations on the 2021 budget of the Department of Health and its attached agencies including the Philippine Insurance Health Corp.

It was Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin, a former health secretary, who moved for the deferment of the DOH’s budget deliberations until the pertinent documents had been submitted to the lower chamber.

She asked for the database of PhilHealth members and the step-by-step plans and strategies of PhilHealth officials on how to stifle fraudulent activities in the state health insurer.

Nueva Ecija 2nd District Rep. Micaela Violago, who defended the proposed DOH budget, assured Garin that DOH and PhilHealth would submit the documents.

“I find it highly unusual for us to discuss the proposed budget of the DOH considering that documents that we need in order to deliberate this huge budget are still on the pipeline,” Garin said in her interpellation.

“I really feel discussion should entail a thorough review of all documents related to the pending questions surrounding the PhilHealth, lack of documents and lack of data will not allow members of Congress to fully exercise its power of scrutinizing and making sure that every peso paid by the taxpayers is put to proper use,” she added.

Garin, together with the House minority bloc, then moved to suspend the deliberations on the DOH budget.

The motion was supported by the House majority bloc, and with no objections, the motion was approved.

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