MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he will not order the abolition of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), a retraction of his statement issued a month ago against the corruption-hit agency.
“Eh ‘yung PhilHealth wala na, skeletal ang na-remain diha. Talagang hindi ko bubuwagin ‘yan because hindi madali na mag — it’s not easy really to create another one but I think by this time marami na kasing na-suspend,” Duterte said in a taped speech.
This was in contrast to Duterte’s remark in late September when he said he will ask Congress to abolish PhilHealth.
Graft charges have been recommended against resigned PhilHealth chief Ricardo Morales and several other PhilHealth officials over the alleged anomalies.
Among allegations of corruption within PhilHealth involve the procurement of alleged overpriced IT equipment; a supposedly questionable release of funds under the corporation’s Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM); and the alleged manipulation of the corporation’s financial status.