Sen. Richard Gordon. Screen grab / Senate PRIB / file photo
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) should pay at least P500 million of its over P762 million debt to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) “right away” as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, Senator Richard Gordon said Monday.
“They should pay at least half a billion right away and then they can pay P200 million every three days,” Gordon, who serves as PRC’s chairman, said in an interview with CNN Philippines.
According to Gordon, PhilHealth’s debt to PRC for COVID-19 tests stands at P762.877 million as of January 3 this year, pointing out that the last payment made by the state insurance agency was back in December 2020.
“We are biting our nails nakakatakot because habang lumalaki yan natatakot kami dahil baka hindi naming maipagpatuloy dahil sa cost na dapat bayaran,” Gordon said.
(We are biting our nails and it’s scary because as the debt balloons, we are afraid that we might not be able to continue because of the costs we have to pay.)
“Kaya yan ang pinaghahandaan namin kaya panay ang paalala naming sa kanila,” the senator added.
(That’s why we are constantly reminding them.)
To recall, back in October 2020, the PRC stopped conducting COVID-19 tests for the government after the PhilHealth failed to pay the P930 million it owed for past tests.
The tests were only resumed after PhilHealth made partial payment to PRC.
Asked if he sees the same happening again over the unpaid debt, Gordon said: “Ayoko mangyari na titigil kami pagod din kami diyan lahat kami, nakatutok ako dyan araw-araw apart from my duties in the Senate.”
(I do not want that to happen again because we are all tired. I am monitoring that apart from my duties in the Senate.)
“Ano bang purpose niyan? Akala ko ba nagmamadali tayo sa testing tapos kayo mismo ang hadlang sa patuloy na operation. Hindi kami ang magpipigil, ang magpipigil ay ang PhilHealth,” Gordon added.
(What is the purpose of that? I thought we urgently need testing but you are the ones hindering the continuous operation. We will not be the one stopping this, but PhilHealth.)
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