Press Release
September 9, 2020

Bong Go calls on PhilHealth to ensure continued public service delivery: 'now more than ever, UHC Law must be properly implemented"

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go told officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation to ensure continued public service delivery and work towards the full implementation of the Universal Health Care Law despite the controversies plaguing the agency.

"While we intensify our efforts to remove systemic corruption and prosecute those involved in anomalies to the fullest extent of the law, we still expect the agency to fulfill its mandate and provide the people the fullest extent of services they deserve," Go said.

"Ibigay dapat sa tao ang serbisyong dapat nilang makuha. Ang gusto nating makita sa mga susunod na mga reports ay kung ilang pasyente na ang natulungan ng PhilHealth, hindi puro kung magkano ang nanakaw," he added.

Go emphasized that now, more than ever, the country needs a working PhilHealth that is free from corruption under its new leadership, to provide Filipinos continued and better access to quality healthcare as provided in the UHC law.

"Maging ordinaryong Pilipino, interesado na malaman ang katotohanan, lalo na sa panahong ito na kailangan nilang may matatakbuhang PhilHealth. Ayaw nating dumating ang panahon na tinatanggihan ang mga pasyenteng nangangailangan dahil wala nang pera ang PhilHealth kasi naubos na sa korapsyon," he explained.

Meanwhile, Go shared that a series of meetings has already been initiated between PhilHealth, economic managers led by Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez, and himself, as chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, to ensure that there will be enough resources to continuously improve healthcare services.

"Sa dalawang meetings na inattendan ko, I emphasized that the UHC law must be properly implemented. Huwag natin pabayaan ang taumbayan na nangangailangan ng tulong para mapangalagaan ang kanilang kalusugan," Go shared.

Go also said that Congress must provide and ensure sufficient funding for healthcare in the 2021 budget for the implementation the UHC Law and to help Filipinos access quality medical services especially amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"Dapat handa ang PhilHealth at may sapat na pondo. Ayaw nating mangyari na ang pasyente ay tatanggihan at sabihin na wala nang pera ang PhilHealth. Hindi po katanggap tanggap sa amin 'yan ni Pangulo [Duterte]," stressed the senator.

"Sisiguraduhin naming may sapat na pondo para sa kalusugan. Basta siguraduhin rin ng mga ahensya na walang masasayang at walang mananakaw. Pera po ng taumbayan ito. Dapat ibalik sa kanila sa pamamagitan ng maayos at maaasahang serbisyo na walang corruption," Go emphasized.

Go welcomed the remarks made by Finance Secretary Dominguez during a meeting with the Development Budget Coordination Committee. Dominguez pledged to provide the funding necessary to implement the UHC Law, of which PhilHealth is the lead implementing agency.

"Hindi po ako papayag na hindi maimplementa ng maayos 'yung Universal Health Care Law. Hindi lang naman po COVID-19 ang covered ng PhilHealth. Kasama na rin po dyan ang ibang sakit at iba pang pangangailangan para sa lahat. Dapat ma-implementa po [itong batas] ng maayos at hindi po dapat maantala lalong-lalo na po mayroon tayong kinakaharap na COVID-19," said Go.

The Senator stressed that PhilHealth must balance improving healthcare services to the public while putting an end to the perennial issues of deep-rooted, systemic corruption plaguing the state health insurance agency for years.

"Tulad ng sabi ko noon, ang walang katapusang corruption ay para ring pandemya. Kailangan talaga magkaroon ng bakuna o gamot na tatalab para matanggal ang sakit na sumisira sa integridad ng gobyerno at sa kalidad ng serbisyo na dapat natatanggap ng mga Pilipino," Go said.

"Dapat maibalik ang tiwala ng taumbayan sa PhilHealth at siguraduhin na ang pondo ay magagamit ng tama para mabigyan ng maayos na serbisyo ang mga Pilipino, lalo na pagdating sa kalusugan," he said.

On Monday, September 7, the Senate finalized the Committee Report on PhilHealth anomalies based on recent hearings conducted by the Senate Committee of the Whole.

Go urged the Executive Branch, through the Task Force created by the President and led by the Department of Justice, to look into the findings and recommendations of the Senate Committee Report in order to once and for all fix the mess in PhilHealth.

"Bottomline, for me: Dapat malaman kung sino talaga ang totoong corrupt at mapanagot sila. Kung ano ang nanakaw, dapat maibalik para mapakinabangan ng taumbayan ang pera ng bayan," he said.

Go added that the Senate Committee Report can help the Task Force in doing its mandated tasks as it investigates these issues further, audit all the funds, conduct lifestyle checks, recommend suspensions or dismissals, prosecute and file charges, and put in jail those who are found guilty of corruption.

"Gusto ng buong sambayanang Pilipino na malaman ang totoo at matumbok talaga kung sino ang may kasalanan. Nakakahiya na sa taumbayan kung puro lang tayo imbestiga, pero wala namang makukulong. Nag-aantay ang tao ng aksyon at solusyon," Go explained.

According to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, the Task Force will submit its findings to President Rodrigo Duterte "by Sept 14 at the latest."

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