Nanawagan ang isang kongresista sa Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) na buksan ang financial book nito upang makilatis ng publiko, kasunod ng mga ulat na posibleng 10 buwan na lang ang itatagal ng naturang ahensiya.
Sinabi ni Gabriela Rep. Emmi de Jesus na patuloy ang pagkubra ng PhilHealth ng malaking pondo ngunit bigo pa rin itong epektibong tugunan ang pangangailangan sa kalusugan ng mamamayan.
“Every year, the PhilHealth has been at the receiving end of huge chunks of the government’s health budget. It has increased mandatory contributions from OFWs, and workers from the public and private sectors. Where did all the finances go?” tanong ni De Jesus.
Noong 2004, sinabi ni De Jesus na nakabahagi ang PhilHealth ng 42.5 porsiyento mula sa P35.2 bilyon na budget ng Department of Health (DoH).
Noong 2015, ang alokasyon ng DoH sa PhilHealth ay lumobo sa P37.4 bilyon, ngunit ngayong 2016 ay nasa P43.8 bilyon na ito, ayon sa mambabatas
Iginiit ni De Jesus na maimbestigahan ang mga opisyal ng PhilHealth, dahil sa umano’y hindi wastong pangangasiwa ng pondo.
Kasabay nito, itinanggi naman ng PhilHealth na nanganganib nang masaid ang pondo nito.
“We would like to clarify some news reports that came out today that might have caused panic among our members.
PhilHealth’s finances are still robust, healthy and substantial as ever,” sabi ni PhilHealth President-CEO Alexander A. Padilla, at iginiit na walang basehan ang nabanggit na balita.
“The six months mentioned was really impossible. First of all our reserves was huge—P128 billion, and this is our biggest reserves for the past so many years. Our collection is also increasing at the same time. Our investments rates are also good,” paliwanag ni Padilla. (CHARISSA LUCI at CHARINA ECHALUCE)
