Duterte to propose abolishing PhilHealth to Congress

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night said he will propose the abolishment of the embattled Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to Congress amid allegations of widespread corruption hounding the state health insurer.

“Itong PhilHealth, I am going to propose to Congress to abolish the— Kung i-privatize mo naman, susmaryosep, walang pera. Sinong insurer niyo? Sabihin ng mga kapitalista sa insurance, ‘kami ang magbayad? Wala kayong pondo,’” he said in a televised address.

Duterte cited the lack of funds as the reason the Philippines has been selling properties in Japan.

“That’s the reason why we are selling properties, real estate properties in Japan because we have to raise money. Wala nang pambayad diyan sa PhilHealth na ‘yan kaya walang ibang remedy diyan, it must be a surgical move,” he said.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III earlier said Duterte wanted PhilHealth to be abolished or privatized. 

PhilHealth has since said its abolition will be a big loss to the Filipino people. 

Duterte also said he wants PhilHealth to be revamped.

“Hindi na puwedeng itong mga tao na ito there already. Entrenched na. Talagang either I’m going to revamp, consider everybody resigned there and if there’s the structure we can slowly [rebuild],” he said.

A whistleblower earlier revealed that the PhilHealth executive committee pocketed some P15 billion in funds through several fraudulent schemes. 

Duterte later approved the filing of charges against resigned PhilHealth President and CEO Ricardo Morales and several other officials of the agency. —LDF, GMA News