The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is
debunking a Commission on Audit (COA) report claiming the the state-run
health insurance system gave its officials and employees P1.448 billion
worth of bonuses and allowances last year.
On
October 10, the commission revealed that officials and employees of
PhilHealth were given bonuses and allowances totaling P1.448 billion
despite a P3.8-billion shortfall in its reserve fund requirement for
2012.
COA, which labeled itself as “The
Philippines' Supreme Audit Institution,” gave PhilHealth until Nov. 12
to respond to its report.
"We're going to
challenge COA's findings,” Alexander A. Padilla, PhilHealth president
and CEO, told GMA News Online in a phone interview Tuesday. “Our
response is being readied and will be submitted earlier than November
12," Padilla noted.
The PhilHealth official said
P1.448 billion included bonuses and expenses, noting the insurer
received the initial COA report last week.
COA
claimed its did not allow the PhilHealth bonuses “for lack of legal
basis,” but the management disregarded the state auditor's notices by
awarding incentives based on resolutions passed by the PhilHealth board
of directors.
“Despite issuance of notices of
disallowance and denial of the consolidated appeal of (PhilHealth)
management by the Cluster Director, Corporate Government Sector
(CGS-CoA), management continuously granted the aforementioned benefits
and allowances without obtaining the required approval of the Office of
the President,” CoA said.
Padilla said PhilHealth has been giving out bonuses and benefits in the past, and no questions have been raised.
"We have our legal basis, as stated in Sec. 16 n of RA (Republic Act) 7875. Past allowances 'to, 'di na bago," he noted.
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