Full-blown inquiry on Philhealth sought

CEBU, Philippines - Labor partylist group, Partido ng Manggagawa is calling for a full blown inquiry by Congress on the reported impending collapse of the Philhealth system so that the people, especially the working class, can get into the bottom of what could be another scam or lest a case of wanton neglect of the government’s sole universal health care system.

PM chairperson Rene Magtubo said workers cannot afford to lose their only source of universal health care system, thus, “whoever would be found responsible for its collapse must be tried for committing this kind of horrendous act.”

There are reports that unpaid government accounts amounting to some P20 billion contributed mainly to the financial hemorrhage of the system.

With this, PM wants to know why this happened and where did their contributions go amid persistent allegations that the fund has been used by the administration during the 2004 elections and for patronage politics.

During a Senate hearing early this week, Philhealth officials admitted that the health care system has a life of only up to 2016 if government debts are not settled.

Magtubo, in a press statement furnished to The FREEMAN, said the impending collapse of Philhealth will not only jeopardize the health coverage of more than 16 million wage and salaried workers but also the stake of voluntary members and non-salaried workers whose meager income made private health care a non-viable option for them.

Magtubo said that Philhealth’s current “bad health” dooms any expansion of the health care program which is a necessary step at improving the country’s human development index.

Extension of universal health care for employed and unemployed persons is one of PM’s demand for a bailout package for workers.

The group pointed out that it is also during times of crisis, like this ongoing recession, where health care is doubly threatened as a consequence of job loss and chronic unemployment.

He further said that universal health care is becoming a fundamental demand being pushed by labor groups around the globe. —Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/WAB (THE FREEMAN)