PhilHealth chief blamed for agency’s downward spiral

MANILA, Philippines — Ranking officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. yesterday hit back at PhilHealth president Celestina Ma. Jude dela Serna, saying the agency has been “spiralling out of control” under her leadership.

In a statement, PhilHealth’s regional vice presidents said Dela Serna made “blanket accusations” against them during her press conference on Tuesday by implying “corruption, collusion and connivance with hospitals.”

“These are baseless insinuations, slander even, leveled against hardworking career officers who have long committed to safeguard the integrity of the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP),” they said.

“PhilHealth is spiralling out of control under the Dela Serna regime that does not have the chops to run a social health insurance program. She is a time bomb waiting to explode, inviting irreversible and irreparable damage to the NHIP,” they added.

They pointed out that Dela Serna made “serious accusations” but she was short of filing corresponding administrative, civil and criminal charges against the culprits.

During the press conference, Dela Serna defended herself against a Commission on Audit report questioning her costly travel and accomodations and the P8.9-billion net loss that PhilHealth incurred in 2017.

She claimed the controversy came amid the reforms that she initiated at PhilHealth, including the rotation of regional vice presidents, who are equivalent to regional directors in other government agencies. 

Datu Masiding Alonto Jr., PhilHealth vice president for Region 10, said the vice presidents opposed the rotation because it was done without consultation, contrary to the policies in civil service.

He also pointed out that Dela Serna initiated the movement without taking into consideration that some of the vice presidents are “stationed” in particular regions based on their items. 

“The  regional vice presidents and even the rank and file (employees) are confused and demoralized because of what’s happening in PhilHealth. There is now a lack of leadership, direction and targets,” Alonto said.

Alonto added that Dela Serna should just answer the accusations levelled against her and not muddle the issue.