President Rodrigo Duterte considered the privatization or abolition of PhilHealth, according to Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Thursday revealed that President Rodrigo Duterte wanted PhilHealth privatized or abolished amid the allegations of corruption within the said agency.
This, as President Duterte on Wednesday met with leaders of the Congress — including Senate President Vicente Sotto III — in order to discuss the measures that will eradicate corruption and red tape in government.
According to Sotto, President Duterte said that he wanted PhilHealth privatized or abolished. However, Sotto said that it might be better to wait for a few months and see how the new administration performed.
Sotto added that he had a bill making the Secretary of Finance the chair of the Board instead of the Secretary of Health, which the President agreed to his proposal.
In addition, Sotto explained that the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. was an “insurance corporation” and not a “health entity”.
“He (President Duterte) wants to further amend the Anti-Red Tape and Ease of Doing Business Law. In fact he is willing to be summoned if needed. I told him the better word is invite. But only if necessary,” Sotto told reporters in a Viber message.
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Moreover, Sotto said that he promised to send the President first a copy of the said bill that Congress will come up to amend the said law.
The Universal Health Care and PhilHealth law, Sotto added, was also discussed during the said meeting.
Previousy, Ombudsman Samuel Martires issued a six-month suspension against former and incumbent officials who were involved in the alleged corruption within the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.
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