Dismantle Philhealth mafia!

“The  Philippine Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is now rocked with a whooping Php15-billion corruption scandal. Why? Because President Rodrigo Duterte appointed an incompetent retired AFP general to implement universal health coverage. We demand the immediate sacking of Ricardo Morales as Philhealth President and Chief Executive Officer. All other erring Philhealth officials must also resign,” according to farmers group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP).

“The public must continuously probe if this appalling Philhealth corruption case goes all the way to Malacanang,” the farmers’ group added.

Last year, Philhealth was already under scrutiny for the ‘ghost dialysis scam’ involving WellMed Dialysis Center which defrauded the agency of P800-million by using dead patients to file kidney treatment claims. Former Philhealth chief Dr. Roy Ferrer who was forced to resign due to this corruption case was subsequently appointed by Duterte as Department of Health Assistant Secretary, and is now working under beleaguered health secretary Francisco Duque III.  

“Duterte’s appointees to the Philhealth have made a milking cow out of the health insurance corporation. Both Morales, Ferrer, and other unscrupulous Philhealth board members have unabashedly squandered and corrupted Philhealth funds that came from the blood, sweat, and toil of Philhealth members. Duterte is equally responsible and must be accountable for this large-scale corruption. We are warning Malacanang to refrain from absolving Philhealth CEO Ricardo Morales,” says KMP chairperson Danilo Ramos.

“Workers, employees, and voluntary Philhealth members are paying monthly premiums only to find out that the health insurance corporation’s fund will last only until mid-2021. Philhealth is clearly guilty of fraudulent medical claims, mismanagement, negligence, and graft and corruption.”

It was revealed in a recent Senate probe that Philhealth’s notorious bagman Ricardo Morales authorized the purchase of the following overpriced softwares and IT equipments: ₱21 million for Adobe Master Collection, ₱42 million for identity management software, ₱21 million for office productivity software and ₱25 million application server, etc. There are many other fraudulent deals in the insurance corporation that was granted P26.17 billion in total subsidies for the first half of 2020 to boost its funding for the provision of health coverage to Filipinos amid the COVID-19 health crisis.

“Health workers in public hospitals are begging for adequate PPEs, sufficient wages, benefits and hazard pay. They are working round-the-clock caring for patients in overwhelmed public hospitals. Philhealth’s corrupt officials, on the other hand, are blatantly defrauding the agency and stealing members’ hard-earned money. We encourage Philhealth employees to expose other corrupt acts in the company.”

The ₱15-billion Philhealth money that Morales and his gang pocketed is equivalent to 11 million units of COVID-19 testing kits developed by UP. “Walang pera sa mass testing at dagdag na mga health workers pero may pera para sa korapsyon,” the KMP leader concluded. ###