A group of employees at the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHeath) on Wednesday, August 19, welcomed the preventive suspension against 13 officials of the agency, even as they continued working to serve the firm's members and the public.

“We are also surprised with that news. I think it is just proper, right that they are preventively suspended so they cannot influence the pending case which is filed against them,” said PhilHealth Workers for Hope, Integrity, Transparency and Empowerment  (Philhealth WHITE) President Fe Francisco in a press briefing. 

On Wednesday, Ombudsman Samuel Martires issued the order of preventive suspension against 13 officials of PhilHealth for six months. 

As of this writing, PhilHealth has yet to release an official statement with regards to the matter. 

“PhilHealth has yet to receive a copy of the Ombudsman Order supposedly placing some of its senior officers under preventive suspension,” the agency posted on its official Twitter page.

“As of this time, the concerned officers are not aware of the charges against them. We will issue a full statement as soon as we get hold of the said order,” it added.

Low morale

Meanwhile, Francisco said that they are hoping that the investigations at PhilHealth will soon be concluded and while those who will be found liable should be prosecuted.

“Sana matapos na itong investigations so we can get to the bottom of this at maka mag move on na rin kami kasi this has become a vicious cycle already. Nananawagan kami na set aside politics and really get to the bottom of all these so that those responsible will be held accountable,” she said. 

Francisco said that rank and file employees have low morale amid the ongoing investigations on the alleged fraudulent activities within the agency.

“Demoralized ang empleyado but despite that, we persevere, we still work every day, serv the members,” said Francisco. 

“Naririnig natin na nagagalit na ang mamayan, at kami ang sumasalo ng galit ng mamamayan.... Kaming nasa frontline ang apektado . We are really demoralized and hurt,” she added. 

Francisco said that the low morale of the PhilHealth employees is the “result of the sweeping statements, allegations being hurled at the agency.”

“Please refrain from hurling, sweeping, and general allegations at all PhilHealth employees, especially the rank and file kasi po nasasaktan din kami and we are now even for our lives because the public is angry at PhilHealth employees,” she said. 

“Caretaker”

The PhilHealth WHITE also called on President Duterte to appoint a "caretaker" who will temporarily lead the embattled agency. 

PhilHealth President Ricardo Morales recently filed his leave of absence for medical reasons.
“We need somebody at the helm to steer us during these uncertain times – both internally, in terms of operations; and externally, amid the scrutiny and prejudice of the public eye,” the group said in a statement. 
“Thus, we persist on our clamor to assign a caretaker with proven integrity and aptitude on the complexities of a financial institution, like PhilHealth,” they added.