Loren denies using PhilHealth cards for campaign

Opposition vice presidential candidate Sen. Loren Legarda has admitted Malacañang’s claim that she had given out government health cards bearing her photograph in Bicol.

Speaking on the campaign trail in Binondo, Manila, Legarda said the distribution of health cards from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has been her project long before she decided to run for vice president.

"I don’t deny it," she said. "That is a wise use of my (community development fund) for 2002 or 2003. I don’t know why PhilHealth is distributing it only now."

Legarda said anyone can check government records to confirm her claim as the Department of Budget and Management had approved the issuance of the PhilHealth cards.

Her program was limited to Bicol because of lack of funds, Legarda added.

On the other hand, PhilHealth president Francisco Duque said Legarda had nothing to do with the printing of her photograph on the health cards.

In an interview yesterday with broadcaster Rey Langit over radio station dwIZ, Duque said PhilHealth decided to place on the health cards the photographs of congressmen and senators who had allocated money from their priority assistance development fund to pay for the contributions of poor families.

"Kami mismo naglagay," he said.

"Sinadya namin yan, hindi, hindi namin nilagay yan dahil pinakausap. Nilagay namin yan o sinadya namin ilagay, sa gayon ay bigyan prioridad ng mga kongresista at pamahalaang lokal and pag pondo ng mga kontribusyon ng mga mahihirap na pamilya upang sa ganon sila’y maipasok sa PhilHealth."

The law creating the national health care program does not provide for compulsory appropriation for the coverage of poor families, Duque added.

Ding Panganiban, chief of staff of Legarda’s Senate office, said the allocation of part of the senator’s priority development assistance fund was requested by PhilHealth assistant vice president Boy Iñigo.

"The purpose was to answer for the LGU’s counterpart in the premium payments so that identified indigent families residing within their (LGUs) respective localities may be covered by PhilHealth insurance benefits," he said.

"In the middle of the year 2003, the office of Loren Legarda approved in principle the proposal (of Iñigo)."

Panganiban said Iñigo had informed Legarda’s office that the health program to be funded would benefit 56,887 families in Bicol. The project proposal was offered to Legarda in late 2002, long before she launched her vice presidential bid, Panganiban added.

Earlier, Secretary Michael Defensor, President Arroyo’s campaign spokesman, said if the Chief Executive could be sued for giving out PhilHealth cards bearing her photograph, Legarda should also be sued for doing the same.