PhilHealth chief forced to resign over reform program

MANILA, Philippines - Resigned Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) president and chief executive officer (PCEO) Hildegardes Dineros said yesterday he was forced to quit after a month in office.

“It was a forced resignation. I had no other option, hence it was involuntary. It’s better than to be a lameduck PhilHealth president,” Dineros told The STAR.

Dineros, a bariatic surgeon, said he decided to resign because he felt he would not be able to pursue his reform agenda and anti-corruption programs at PhilHealth.

He denied the reported rift between him and Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial, who is also chairman of the PhilHealth board. But he admitted they had some “differences on the discharge of responsibilities.”

“Secretary Ubial wanted me to become a ‘team player’ but doing so would put on hold, if not stop, my reform agenda as well as anti-corruption programs. I can be a team player but what is the ball game? If it’s not for the benefit of the Filipino people, I cannot take part in it,” Dineros said.

“The board did not want to listen to my detailed report on the spurious and illegal resolutions and personnel orders, which, if properly threshed out and considered at the board meeting, will identify the roots of corruption and other anomalies at the agency,” he added.

 Earlier, Ubial said Dineros overstepped his power as PCEO when he reappointed some personnel.

“He was not fully aware of the nature of his election as interim PCEO. He was misled to believe that he had the power to reappoint personnel,” Ubial said.

Dineros also refused to sign a P2.5-billion investment plan that would have earned some P200 million for the government in three years.

Dineros said that during his short stint at PhilHealth, he saw the potentials of some personnel so he re-assigned them to posts where they would shine.

“How can you implement your programs if you issued an order and they will not follow it? I deemed it necessary to re-designate people who can implement my reform policies,” he said.

Dineros said he did not sign the investment plan because he was not given the chance to study the program.

“They gave me the papers on April 8 and gave me 30 minutes to sign it. I cannot decide hastily on that. I am not a robot and I take responsibility for what I do,” he said.

“PhilHealth did not lose anything (when I did not sign the papers). They said potentials for earnings were lost. But how about the potential for losses? I cannot be part of something that I see is not right,” he added.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the Office of the Executive Secretary has yet to receive the resignation letter of Dineros.

 Dineros resigned after Ubial questioned his appointment by President Duterte.

Ubial said Dineros had “acted beyond his authority.”

 The rift between Ubial and Dineros started when he reassigned PhilHealth personnel although he was appointed in an interim capacity.

 The PhilHealth board accepted the resignation of Dineros in a special meeting on Monday.

 Ubial said they elected Celestina Ma. Jude dela Serna, one of the board members of PhilHealth, as Dineros’ replacement.

Dela Serna, who used to be director for the Filipino migrant workers sector, will serve as acting PhilHealth chief pending appointment by President Duterte and subsequent election by the board of a regular PCEO.  – With Christina Mendez