Roque joins Gierran in opposing privatization of PhilHealth

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Friday opposed the idea of privatizing the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) despite the corruption allegations hounding the agency.

Roque said it is the state’s obligation to provide universal health insurance for all citizens.

“I do not agree with privatization because privatization goes against the very principle of universal healthcare,” the Palace official told CNN Philippines in an interview.

“Universal healthcare is distinguished from private health insurance because it is number one, a discharge of state obligation to promote the right to health and it is a commitment that although members would have to pay their dues, in reality, the dues will not be enough and the balance, of course, will be paid for by the government,” he added.

Roque said he had proposed to replace PhilHealth with an agency patterned after the United Kingdom’s National Health Service while he was still a lawmaker.

PhilHealth president Dante Gierran is also against privatizing PhilHealth, arguing that it will send a “wrong signal” that government officials and employees cannot be trusted.

Gierran, a former National Bureau of Investigation director, replaced Ricardo Morales, who resigned over health reasons amid investigations by Congress and a government task force on the alleged anomalies in PhilHealth.

President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday that he would propose to Congress to just abolish PhilHealth amid allegations of widespread corruption.

A measure authorizing the President to reorganize PhilHealth, including the privatization of its segments, to make it more effective in delivering services to the public was filed at the House of Representatives in August.—AOL, GMA News