Use PhilHealth's excess funds to hike medical workers' pay--solon
At A Glance
- AnaKalusugan Party-list Rep. Ray Reyes says excess funds from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) could be used to increase the salaries of government medical personnel.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Here's a good way to utilize the excess funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth): increase the salaries of government medical personnel with it.
AnaKalusugan Rep. Ray Reyes says his party-list is already studying whether or not the government health insurer's budget can be used to hike the salary rates of government medical personnel to make them more competitive.
"I think we all can agree na mas deserve ng ating mga healthcare workers ang umento sa sahod at benepisyo," he said.
(It's our healthcare workers who deserve a raise in their salary and benefits.)
Making the healthcare professionals stay is the name of the game, as Reyes warns that the Philippines "cannot afford to scrape or scramble for crumbs left by brain drain when the country is hit by the next pandemic".
The neophyte legislator said that under House Bill (HB) No.9513, the funds of government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCCs) determined to be in excess of their current administrative and operational expenses, benefit obligations, or reserve requirements, may be used to implement the vital purposes under the unprogrammed appropriations.
The measure, dubbed "An Act providing additional criterion for the availing of the unprogrammed appropriations", was approved at the committee level last week.
The bill specifically amends Republic Act (RA) No.11936, or the current 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
"Based on their guidelines, dapat mga P200 billion lang ang reserve nila (their reserve should only be around P200 billion). Right now they are at more than P400 billion," Reyes said of PhilHealth.
The pro-health solon says these excess funds can also be used to hire more medical professionals or help build more hospitals in the country.