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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Duque has a lot of explaining to do about PhilHealth' -- Zubiri

'Duque has a lot of explaining to do about PhilHealth' -- Zubiri

Published Aug 13, 2020 02:05 pm

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has a lot of explaining to do about the controversies that are again hounding the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said.

Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri
(Senate of the Philippines / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)

Zubiri said that Duque, as chairman of the PhilHealth Board of Directors, should have knowledge over the decisions and transactions concerning the State health insurer.

"Absolutely, he has a lot of explaining to do because its command responsibility. Unang-una ang (First of all, the) PhilHealth board, which he is the chairman of, makes a number of these decisions," he told reporters in an online interview Wednesday.

"Hindi po magawa-gawa ng PCEO 'yung ibang decisions dito (The President and Chief Executive Officer cannot implement some of his decisions) without the approval of the board," he added.

Zubiri specifically questioned how Duque approved the PhilHealth implementation of its Internal Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM) amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the IRM, funds are given to hospitals, clinics, and other health care facilities as a "special privilege" when they are affected by a fortuitous event.

Senators, however, questioned the millions of advanced payments issued by the government health insurance firm to allegedly favored health facilities that do not serve to COVID-19 patients. The Commission on Audit also bared that the PhilHealth has yet to liquidate most of its P14.97-billion releases under the IRM.

"Bakit di sila nagsalita? Ano 'yan rubber stamp lang, ipapakita lang sa kanila ang dokumento tapos pipirmahan lang nila minutes of the meeting? Parang walang nangyari? (Why were they silent? Were they just rubber stamps who simply sign documents and minutes of meetings submitted to them? Like nothing happened?)" Zubiri said.

"At tama ba Philhealth magbibigay nito (And should PhilHealth be giving these financial aid)? 'Di ba dapat DoH ang magbibigay niyan (Isn't it the Department of Health's job)? PhilHealth should only take care of claims. That's their job, their job is not to give out PPEs, not to give medicines, or give out equipment. The job of Philhealth is to pay for the claims for made hospitalization and medication.  Hindi naman sila DSWD, eh, saka DoH (They're not the Department of Social Welfare and Development nor the DoH)," he added.

Zubiri echoed Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, who raised that Cabinet members were just sending representatives on their behalf to attend meetings.

"So minsan baka 'di napapansin ng mga designates na 'to at nagkakaroon ng palusot dito sa mga questionable transactions na ito (sometimes these designates were not aware of the questionable transactions that have been happening in the agency)," he said.

Senators had earlier questioned Duque's silence amid the claims of corruptions at the PhilHealth.

Zubiri said Duque will attend the Senate Committee of the Whole's third hearing next week.

He said more witnesses are expected to show up to share their testimonies on the alleged irregularities in the agency.

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