INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will settle its P930 million debt to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) for the conduct of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tests for the government, the state insurance agency’s chief assured Friday.
In an interview on CNN Philippines, PhilHealth chief Dante Gierran said that officials of the agency have kept in touch with Senator Richard Gordon, who chairs the PRC, to settle the issue.
“One thing is certain, may utang ang PhilHealth sa Philippine Red Cross. We recognize the help of Philippine Red Cross to the government particularly our brothers that are to be tested with COVID,” Gierran said.
“One is thing is sure also, we will pay for that. Regardless of whether the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) will assume a negative position on the matter… babayaran talaga ng PhilHealth yan (PhilHealth will settlte it). We have money for that,” he added.
PhilHealth chief Dante Gierran. INQUIRER FILES
Gierran made the remark after PRC stopped its COVID-19 tests on arriving overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), passengers in airports and seaports, individuals asking for COVID-19 tests in government swabbing facilities, front-line health and government workers, and others included in the expanded testing guidelines of the Department of Health (DOH).
“We are indebted to PRC and we recognize the support, the help of PRC. Senator Dick Gordon is our friend, we have kept in touch with him and other PhilHealth officers the other day for that matter,” Gierran said.
CUTTING COSTS A Red Cross worker takes a swab sample of a patient at the Philippine Red Cross laboratory in Mandaluyong City in April. —INQUIRER PHOTO
In the same interview, Gierran said PhilHealth has the finances to settle its debt to PRC.
There are, however, some “legal issues affecting the memorandum of agreement” between the PRC and PhilHealth that have to be addressed, Gierran added.