Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Tuesday urged the Governance Commission for Government-Owned or -Controlled Corporations (GCG) to conduct a review of the performance of state insurer and government-owned Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and assess the possible reorganization of the agency in order to address the alleged systemic corruption in the agency.
Go said the corruption allegations within the agency may already constitute grounds for the GCG to review PhilHealth’s performance and may serve as a basis to reorganize the agency.
“I am urging the GCG to perform an evaluation of PhilHealth's performance to help determine the steps to be taken to cleanse the agency of corruption and improve its services to Filipinos,” Go said.
“Mas marami ang matitinong tao diyan sa PhilHealth. Hu'wag nating hayaang makahawa ang mga ‘bad eggs’ dyan sa mga empleyado na gusto lang magserbisyo sa kapwa nila Pilipino. Pero ang mga kasabwat sa anomalya, 'yung mga nakikinabang na patawa-tawa ngayon, aabutan din kayo. Yayariin namin kayo,” he added. (There are many upright and good people at PhilHealth. Let us not allow them to be mixed with the ‘’bad eggs.’’’ The good ones want to serve their fellow countrymen. Those who are linked to anomalies, those who profited from corrupt practices and are laughing, the arms of the law will get you. You will get your comeuppance.)
Go, chairman of the Senate Health and Demography Committee, reiterated that PhilHealth reforms must lead to improving services for Filipinos while restoring the integrity of the agency by eradicating the systemic corruption in the bureaucracy.
“Ang importante po, huwag natin hayaang masira ang serbisyo na dapat nakukuha ng mga tao lalo na sa panahong may hinaharap tayong health crisis. Kailangan masigurong maimplementa ang UHC (Universal Health Care law) at mabigyan ang mga Pilipino ng mas maayos, mabilis, at maaasahang serbisyo lalo na pagdating sa kalusugan,” he said. (The important thing is we should not let the delivery of services to the people be broken in the face of the current health crisis. The UHC law must be implemented and give Filipinos an orderly, fast, and reliable health care.)
Go was referring to the UHC law in which PhilHealth is the lead implementer.
Section 5 of RA No. 10149, the "GOCC Governance Act of 2011," provides that the GCG has the power to evaluate the performance and determine the relevance of a GOCC, to ascertain whether such GOCC should be reorganized, merged, streamlined, abolished or privatized, in consultation with the department or agency to which a GOCC is attached.
RA 10149 also empowers the GCG to recommend to the President the abolition or privatization of PhilHealth, depending on its findings.
Go had earlier expressed his reservations to privatize PhilHealth.
“Alam ninyo, itong sa PhilHealth issue, para sa akin po kapag isinapribado po ito, magiging negosyo na po ang PhilHealth. Magiging profit-oriented na po. The business of government is not profit. It is service,’’ he said. (PhilHealth will become a business once it is privatized. It will become profit-oriented.)
Go also supported a measure filed by Senate President (SP) Vicente ‘’Tito’’ C. Sotto III which seeks to improve the management of the agency’s finances.
“May na-file si SP Sotto sa Senado, ito po 'yung ia-amend namin ang UHC para ilagay ang Secretary of Finance as Chair po ng PhilHealth. Kasi more on finance po itong PhilHealth. To be fair, very capable po si Secretary Duque but he is very busy right now,” he explained. (Sotto has filed a bill that will amend the UHC law whereby the Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary should become the ex-officio chairman of the PhilHealth board. PhilHealth is more on finance. To be fair, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III is very capable but he is very busy right now.)
Go also stated that Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III is open to take on the challenge and has pledged to go after all corrupt individuals within and outside PhilHealth should the amendment be passed making him the ex-officio Chairman of the PhilHealth Board.
To boost efforts to combat corruption, Go urged all government employees to report questionable activities that might be taking place in government offices.
“Andito ang ating Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC). Pwede ninyo isumbong sa kanila at mabilis nilang ginagawan ng report. Pwede rin ninyo dalhin sa Office of the Ombudsman or sa opisina . I-validate natin, huwag kayong matakot, magsabi lang kayo ng totoo,” he added. (The PACC is here where you can report instances of irregularities. The PACC is fast in making its report. Or you can file charges with the Office of the Ombudsman or to my office. We can validate it. Don’t be afraid in telling the truth.)