PhilHealth chief says 92% of P15-B questioned fund now liquidated
MORE than 90% of the P15-billion fund released by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to health care institutions, which has been under investigation, has so far been liquidated, the head of the state-owned insurance firm said on Tuesday. “On the record, the Senate and the House have instructed PhilHealth to liquidate the funds. As of now, 92% of the funds has been liquidated,” PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Dante A. Gierran said in mixed English and Filipino during a televised news briefing. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed several and administrative complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman against former PhilHealth officials over alleged irregularities in the Interim Reimbursement Mechanism program, under which the funds were released. Mr. Gierran, a former NBI official who was appointed to the top PhilHealth post at the height of the controversies last year, denied the allegations that the funds were pocketed by former officials. “It was not lost, it’s just there, on record, 92% has been liquidated. Only a little is missing. I will not allow the funds of the Filipinos to disappear,” he said. Mr. Gierran also reported that PhilHealth has already paid about P3.4 billion owed to the Philippine Red Cross for coronavirus tests administered by the humanitarian organization, and that the P400 million balance will be settled “subject to validation.” He also gave assurance that PhilHealth would be able to bounce back from the challenges it has faced since last year, citing that the agency has sufficient reserves. —