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MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Red Cross (PRC) President and Senator Richard Gordon said Monday that the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has yet to pay off its debt to the humanitarian organization, even expressing frustration. because the state insurer supposedly makes excuses about such a serious and critical matter. “
In a message to reporters, Gordon said the People’s Republic of China is “almost out of” COVID-19 test kits and they need to be paid so their supply can be replenished.
FILE – A health worker performs a swab test on a client at the Philippine Red Cross in Mandaluyong City on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2020. INQUIRER / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
“PhilHealth already owes PRC $ 1.1 billion. Still unpaid despite their numerous announcements that they will pay … PhilHealth has been treacherous, reckless [and] they have violated the contract so many times. PRC covered the first huge wave of people who were tested, ”he said.
“PhilHealth should be ashamed of themselves for betraying our vulnerable people. They have been misleading people since operations began, overcharging and overpaying. Those who have been cheating before [COVID-19] they are still there. PhilHealth plays with people’s lives. Many more people may be spreading [COVID-19] due to the serious lack of evidence, ”Gordon added.
Since October 16, the People’s Republic of China stopped testing for COVID-19 for the government upon the arrival of Filipino workers from abroad, passengers at airports and seaports, people requesting new coronavirus tests at government swab facilities. , among others, after PhilHealth failed to pay its debt.
Last week, PhilHealth promised to pay off your balance on Monday, October 26.
Gordon said that because of this PhilHealth guarantee, the People’s Republic of China chartered a flight to China for Tuesday to get more COVID-19 test kits.
“Due to PhilHealth’s promises of payment, we had chartered a flight to China for tomorrow. But due to lack of payment from PhilHealth, we don’t have the money to pay for the test kits. [and] other equipment worth between $ 6 million and $ 8 million for this particular shipment alone. Tomorrow we will have to cancel the flight if the payment is not made, ”said the senator.
“We note with sadness that PhilHealth continues to make excuses on such a serious and critical matter. First, they say they want to make sure the contract is okay. What they needed [Department of Budget and Management]. The president told them to pay. Then reference was made to [Department of Justice] who told them that the contract is valid and that they must pay ”, he added.
The People’s Republic of China also had to delay the construction of several provincial molecular laboratories due to lack of payment from PhilHealth, according to Gordon.
Malacañang previously said that the Health Department is in talks with eight private labs with a combined testing capacity like PRC’s in an attempt to continue COVID-19 testing for OFWs and returning Filipinos.
KGA
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