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Ian Alfredo Magno .

NEWS about former Senate President Edgardo Angara spread like wildfire after the latter succumbed to a sudden heart attack on May 13, 2018.  The late senator was famously known as the founder of the Angara Abello Concepcion Regala and Cruz (Accra) Law Firm, which became the country’s most recognized and prestigious law firm. In fact, a long list of achievements precedes the late senator’s name.

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He was one of the youngest delegates to the 1971 Constitutional Convention.  In 1975, he became the president of the Philippine Bar and in 1979, the president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. In 1980, he was chosen as founding president of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Law Association, one of the largest regional law associations in the world.  From 1981 to 1987,  Angara served as president of the national University of the Philippines (UP).  As a congressman, he headed the Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom) that restructured and instituted wideanging reforms in the country’s educational system. As a senator, he was elected Senate president by his peers in 1993. His tenure as Senate president has been the most outstanding to date, according to a Social Weather Stations survey.

While in the Senate, Angara authored timeless legislations which are brilliant not only on print, but proved actually beneficial for the Filipino people.  Among such memorable laws authored by him are the Free High School Act, Commission on Higher Education (Ched), Technical Education and Skill Development Authority (Tesda), Senior Citizens Act, the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (Afma), the Renewable Energy Act, the Procurement Reform Act, and the National Health Insurance Act (Philhealth).

Yes, the late Senate President Edgardo Angara fashioned the law which gave life to Philhealth as a government-owned and -controlled corporation. Thus, at a time when Philhealth is beleaguered by the worst crisis ever (P9-billion loss, demoralized ranks, leadership tainted with graft, practically an organization on the verge of collapse), the death of former Senator Angara – the father of Philhealth – comes as an ominous coincidence.  In fact, according to his son Sen. Sonny Angara, Philhealth is the only program his late father entrusted to him (Sonny Angara) before his demise.

Meanwhile, in view of Philhealth’s sorry plight, the Philhealth Regional vice presidents nationwide issued a joint public statement in response to their interim President and CEO’s sweeping accusations of corruption among Philhealth’s career officers, accordingly as a cover-up for the Corporation’s depressing performance under her watch. Read on:

“Interim/OIC President and CEO Dr. Celestina Ma. Jude P. dela Serna uttered vicious insinuations against Philhealth officers, particularly Regional Vice Presidents, implying corruption, collusion, and connivance with hospitals for unlawful financial gain, as well as extortion of ‘some officers.’ She made these blanket accusations during her press conference last May 8, 2018, conveniently citing this as one of the reasons for her decision to rotate senior officers of the Corporation.

“These are baseless insinuations, slander even, leveled against hardworking career officers who have long committed to safeguarding the integrity of the National Health Insurance Funds. These are also serious accusations.

“If Dr. dela Serna really believes in its merits, then she should put her money where her mouth is and immediately file the corresponding administrative, civil, or even criminal charges against the ‘culprits.’ It is revealing that she resorted instead to trial by publicity by making sweeping generalizations against career officers. Such rash and irresponsible actions betray Dr. dela Serna’s penchant for grandstanding and bully tactics that only foster division and demoralization among the ranks.

“More importantly, we would rather that the Interim/OIC President and CEO not muddle the issue and answer the charges leveled against her. Foremost amongst these is the reported P8.9 Billion loss for 2017, which is more than 3,400% increase from the 2016 operating deficit. As custodian of public funds, this is an embarrassing failure of the highest degree.

“But we only scratch the tip of the iceberg. She is to be charged with malversation and falsification of public documents in claiming reimbursements for her hotel and travel expenses. She has scandalously displayed an extravagant lifestyle with year-long hotel accommodations in Manila and weekly travel to Bohol, using Philhealth funds. She has usurped the Philhealth presidency despite an executive memorandum providing that only the next-inank shall assume as OIC. She collected unreasonable and unconscionable agency fees. She arbitrarily suspended senior officers without legal basis, using thinly disguised trumped-up charges. She harassed and intimidated employees, causing resignations of highly trained/technical employees.

“The list goes on.

“We vigorously support President Duterte’s call to eliminate corruption in public service, and achieve genuine universal health care. In all modesty, we have upheld Philhealth’s fiduciary role as custodian of the National Health Insurance Funds. Philhealth is now one of the most beloved and trusted government brands, a fitting testament to 23 years of dedication and hard work by the men and women in the Philhealth uniform.

“But achieving Philhealth’s goal of providing financial risk protection is a work in progress. The times demand unity and synergy among the PhilHealth family, a renewed commitment to universal coverage, and a permanent, competent, and visionary leadership to steer Philhealth to world-class levels.

“Philhealth is spiraling out of control under the dela Serna regime that does not have the chops to run a social health insurance program. Dr. dela Serna only knows how to rule, not to govern. She is a time bomb waiting to explode, inviting irreversible and irreparable damage to the National Health Insurance Program.

“As one of the pillars of the President’s Health Agenda tasked to provide health financing, Philhealth deserves a permanent President with the financial acumen, managerial competence, and personal integrity to lead it. Dr. dela Serna, unfortunately, miserably fails on all three counts.

“Philhealth para sa bayan, Philhealth para sa lahat!”

 

(Lawyer Ian Alfredo T. Magno is marketing head at Philhealth. E-mail: ianalfredom@gmail.com)

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