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A Red Cross worker takes a sample from a patient at the Philippine Red Cross laboratory in Mandaluyong City in April. —PRODUCE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Health Corporation’s (PhilHealth) failure to pay off its debt to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) was due to procurement problems in an agreement the agency had signed, the head of the state insurer said on Friday. , Dante Gierran.
The People’s Republic of China has stopped testing for the government for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) after PhilHealth failed to settle some P930 million it owed from previous testing.
“PhilHealth, at this time, is indebted to the Philippine Red Cross for that amount. Not because we don’t want to pay. We want to pay, we just have to resolve some legal issues that affect the memorandum of understanding that was previously signed between the PhilHealth administration and the Philippine Red Cross, ”Gierran said in an interview with CNN Philippines.
Gierran explained that his legal team did not see “compliance” with the procurement law in the agreement between PhilHealth and the People’s Republic of China, prompting him to practice “prudence” and seek the opinion of the Department of Budget and Management.
“There is an order there that must comply with the regulation of the procurement law, something that my legal team did not see here in the newspapers, here in the People’s Republic of China,” Gierran said.
(There is a rule that says we must comply with the procurement law regulation, something my legal team did not see in the documents about the PRC deal.)
Even with the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act in effect at the time, which allowed for emergency purchases, Gierran said that some requirements still needed to be met.
“Even under the emergency purchasing rules ay merong sinasabi na, it has to be published, it has to be on the portals of the public procurement policy board, [has to be indicated]. That is what was not followed, ”said Gierran.
(Even under the emergency purchasing rules, there are rules that state that it must be published, it must be on the portals of the government purchasing policy board, the amount. That was not followed).
“It is not enough that there is a directive for us to do this, and then we will not protect, we will not create safety nets for the disbursement of this money. Otherwise, I will be committing another round of recklessness as happened to the previous administration and something that I will not do, “he continued.
Starting this Friday, the People’s Republic of China will no longer test Filipino workers arriving overseas, passengers at airports and seaports, and individuals requesting COVID-19 testing at government swabbing facilities. , healthcare workers and frontline government, and others included in the Department of Health’s testing guidelines.
But the People’s Republic of China assured that it would continue to test those who booked through its direct line; those of private companies and organizations; and those backed by local government units and other government agencies whose payments are “current.”
/ MUF
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