COA orders PhilHealth to return P164M in bonuses

The Commission on Audit (COA) has ordered the officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to return P163.85 million in unauthorized bonuses and allowances.

In two recently released decisions, the COA affirmed the disallowance of P80.79 million in Christmas, performance and anniversary bonuses for 2009 to 2010, and P83.06 million in educational assistance and “birthday gift” benefits for 2014.

The ordinary employees who received the bonuses in 2009 and 2010 were not covered by the refund order, because they were “passive recipients” who merely relied on the “honest belief that the amounts were due them.”

However, the COA said the employees “cannot be deemed in good faith” for the benefits in 2014.

The COA rejected PhilHealth’s argument that the incentives were covered by the collective bargaining agreements with the employees.—VINCE F. NONATO