BY VANNE ELAINE P. TERRAZOLA
If a retired general still cannot solve the corruption and mismanagement problems at the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), maybe a wealthy businessman can.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said that claims of irregularities in the agency have persisted over the years even as doctors and former military men have been appointed to lead the State-run corporation.
“Nasubukan na eh, sinubukan na doctor nung araw pa, hindi daw mahusay ang pagpapatakbo. Pinalitan ng military eh mukhang hindi din maayos ‘yong takbo, business man ang ilagay mo,” Sotto said in an online interview with reporters Wednesday.
“Dahil ang Philhealth negosyo, parang negosyo, business ‘yan, eh. Kung meron kang businessman na magaling, na matino na makukumbinsi mo na tanggapin ‘yan palagay ko ‘yon ang solusyon.”
The Senate Committee of the Whole led by Sotto started last Tuesday its probe on the alleged rampant corruption and anomalies within the PhilHealth.
During the hearing that ran for about 10 hours, senators grilled PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Ricardo Morales about his repeated endorsement of the allegedly overpriced budget proposal for an Information Technology project, the questionable reimbursements of the PhilHealth to select non-COVID-19 hospitals, and the agency’s financial status.
