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WALANG planong palampasin ng isang bagitong kongresista ang aniya’y nakalululang umentong iginawad sa mga opisyales ng kontrobersyal na Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
Mungkahi ni House Committee on Health Vice-Chairman at Anakalusugan partylist Rep. Ray T. Reyes sa liderato ng Kamara, isang malalimang imbestigasyon sa pag-triple sa sahod ng mga PhilHealth officials – sa gitna ng pandemya.
Sa inihaing House Resolution 1261, nanindigan si Reyes na dapat busisiin ng Kamara ang nabunyag na paglobo ng buwanang sahod ng mga PhilHealth officials, batay na rin sa pagsusuri ng Commission on Audit (COA).
“It is ridiculous and reeks with callous lack of empathy that Philhealth thought it necessary to apply for a certification to increase their salaries and allowances threefold in the middle of a pandemic,” pahayag ng Anakulusugan partylist lawmaker.
“They cannot even provide a zero balance billing for its members despite millions collected in additional increases in premium contributions, billions of proceeds from their investments, and the multiple sources of funding provided for by several statutes enacted for the purpose,” dagdag pa ng mambabatas.
Base sa COA report na isinapubliko nito lamang nakalipas na buwan, pumalo sa P71.45 milyon ang natanggap na sweldo ng key management personnel ng PhilHealth para sa taong 2022 – malayo sa P26.2 milyon na naitala noong taong 2021.
Kaya naman kinuwestyon ng House panel vice-chairman ang mga opisyal ng nasabing ahensya, na nasa ilalim ng pamamahala ng Department of Health (DOH), ang dahilan at maging ang tiyempo sa pag-triple ng kanilang monthly salary.
“While Philhealth struggles to satisfactorily complete its mandate of being the nation’s health insurance provider, the Commission on Audit reported a 175 percent increase in the pay of Philhealth officials from 2021-2022 with some officials earning up to over half a million in a month in the middle of a raging pandemic,” dismayadong pahayag ni Reyes.
“The State of Public Health Emergency was lifted only in July of 2023, putting the propriety of Philhealth’s request for a certification for an increase in their pay right in the middle of a pandemic in question,” dugtong ng pro-health advocate solon.
