AN OFFICIAL of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) assured the public on Thursday, May 10, that the delivery of services will not be affected amid the financial controversies hounding the agency.
Datu Masiding Alonto, PhilHealth regional vice president and Concurrent Area vice president for Mindanao, said that while the controversy affected the morale of the employees, PhilHealth is still “very much able to continue its services.”
A Commission on Audit (COA) report questioned Interim President and Chief Operating Officer Celestina Dela Serna's alleged costly travel and accommodations and the P8.9-billion net loss that PhilHealth incurred in 2017.
Dela Serna, however, justified her travels, saying these are purely official, while blaming the agency's regional offices for the alleged billions in debt it owed to private hospitals.
"It is but fitting that the CEO answer such COA reports, and to be honest this is very serious, P8.9 billion is P8.9. If this could not be arrested soon enough, magsara ang tindahan (the store will close down), we called upon the president to reverse this spiralling trend," Alonto said.
Alonto also hit Dela Serna, saying she has no skills to manage the situation, and urged Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to intervene.
The call was made on May 10 during the opening of the new PhilHealth regional office at Gateway Tower 2, Limketkai Center. PhilHealth occupies eight floors of the building.
Alonto also found an ally with Mayor Oscar Moreno, who revealed that he wrote to PhilHealth to defer the transfer of Alonto to another regional office.
"He has done so much for Mindanao in terms of social protection," the mayor said.