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MANILA, Philippines – Senator Francis Pangilinan has expressed “serious misgivings” about the appointment of former Director of the National Bureau of Investigation Dante Gierran as the new director of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
This, as the senator said, believes that the person who should take the helm of the state insurance firm should have a medical background and financial experience to address the corruption issues plaguing the agency and ensure that the firm can cover COVID-19. . patient expenses.
“I have serious doubts about the appointment given that we clearly need a more holistic rather than simplistic law enforcement approach to the cancer facing PhilHealth, in particular, and the COVID health crisis, in general,” Pangilinan said in a released Tuesday.
“There is also a question about his qualifications considering his lack of experience in the field of public health that Malacañang chose to ignore. His predecessor also had no public health experience and that ended terribly for PhilHealth, “he added.
President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Gierran as the new head of PhilHealth, succeeding retired military officer Ricardo Morales, who resigned at the height of the investigations for health reasons.
PhilHealth’s corruption problems resurfaced once again when anti-fraud officer Thorrsson Montes Keith resigned on July 23 due to alleged widespread corruption within the agency.
Keith claimed that members of the so-called PhilHealth mob pocketed more than P15 billion in corporate funds.
In addition, investigations revealed that PhilHealth purchased various items, such as software and devices, at a greatly overpriced price; for example, a set from the Adobe Master Collection was purchased with a price of less than P200,000 for P21 million.
READ: Senators scold PhilHealth boss for failing to point out ‘incredible price premium’
Subsequently, President Rodrigo Duterte urged Morales to resign, citing his illness, which the CEO said could affect his future management of PhilHealth. Morales reportedly has leukemia and has been receiving chemotherapy.
However, Gierran admitted that he does not have enough experience in public health services. Still, several government officials, including Albay’s second district representative Joey Salceda, said the former NBI chief is especially qualified because he is an accountant by profession.
READ: Salceda thinks Gierran qualified to be head of PhilHealth
However, Pangilinan said he hopes Gierran will be successful at PhilHealth so that Filipinos have access to proper healthcare.
“The PhilHealth and COVID problem is not only big, they also need an immediate solution. It would be better if the position was given to someone with knowledge of public health and finance, ”said Pangilinan.
(The PhilHealth problem and the COVID-19 pandemic is not only huge, it requires an immediate solution. It would be better if the position was given to someone with knowledge of public health and finance.)
“For the sake of PhilHealth and the health of all Filipinos, despite my serious misgivings, I hope that [Gierran] it succeeds where others have failed, ”he added.
KGA
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