MANILA, Philippines — The newly-appointed chief of the embattled Philippine Health Insurance Corporation on Tuesday admitted he has no prior knowledge or experience when it comes to public health
PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Dante Gierran, former National Bureau of Investigation director, said this in an interview with ANC's "Headstart" Tuesday morning.
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"I'm very scared. I'm scared because I don't know the operations of PhilHealth. Unlike NBI, I knew the operations of NBI. But PhilHealth, wala. I do not know about public health," he said.
"I don't have experience about public health. What I know about is financial management, having been a certified public accountant, and insurance," Gierran added.
Despite his lack of experience in public health, Gierran asked the Filipino people to give him "a chance to lead."
"I would like to succeed. I am scared but I am not cowed," he said.
Section 14 of the Universal Health Care Act stipulates "that the Board cannot recommend a President and CEO of PhilHealth unless the member is a Filipino citizen and must have at least seven (7) years of experience in the field of public health, management, finance, and health economics or a combination of any of these expertise."
Guidance from predecessor Morales
Gierran added that he would be seeking guidance from former PhilHealth chief Ricardo Morales, telling him directly: "I will talk to you later, sir. I have much to learn from you."
Morales resigned last Wednesday, citing his health as the primary reason. The resigned PhilHealth chief, in an interview with ANC's "Headstart", advised his successor to "stay healthy".
A health certificate submitted by Morales to the Senate revealed that he is receiving treatment for lymphoma or cancer of the lymph nodes.
Morales' resignation also came amid a series of investigations by the Senate, the House of Representatives, and an inter-agency task force into allegations of corruption and mismanagement against PhilHealth's top executives.
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President Rodrigo Duterte named Gierran as the new chief of the state-run agency on Monday evening, less than a week after Morales' resignation.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III last Thursday said the president would be looking for someone with skills in financing and accounting, and a legal background, to head the agency anew.
On the same day, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, who heads the inter-agency task force investigation into alleged corruption and mismanagement within the agency, also offered his own criteria for any incoming PhilHealth chief.
"Someone who has a steep experience in financial management and deep understanding of the law, and has a good amount of charisma to inspire and rally the good people at PhilHealth to start rebuilding the public’s trust in and respect for their agency," he said.
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