Ejercito asks Duterte to appoint permanent PhilHealth president

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito. Photo from the office of Sen. JV Ejercito

Senator JV Ejercito on Tuesday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to appoint a permanent president for the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) amid massive income loss in the national health insurer.

“I hope the President would prioritize the appointment of a permanent PhilHealth president,” Ejercito told reporters after Congress joint oversight committee hearing on PhilHealth’s fiscal performance.

If it was up to him, Ejercito said he prefers a financial expert as the president and not necessarily a doctor.

“My recommendation is to have a financial expert because this involves management of finances,” he said.

The present interim president, Celestina Ma. Jude de la Serna, is a public doctor.

De La Serna became controversial after being investigated, upon the orders by no less than President Rodrigo Duterte, for allegedly spending more than half a billion pesos for her travels.

The Commission on Audit had asked De La Serna to explain her travels amounting to P627,293.04 in just one year despite the agency’s massive net income loss of P8.92 billion.

At the hearing, the officer in charge denied misusing PhilHealth’s fund.

“Let me assure you I am here in PhilHealth to protect the people’s money, to ensure that every peso translates into better healthcare our people,” she said. /jpv

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