Mas makabubuti kay President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. na itigil ang paglilipat ng P89.9-billion pondo ng Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) patungo sa Bureau of Treasury (BT), ayon kay Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.
Sa pahayag, Umaasa si Pimentel na pangungunahan ni Marcos sa lalong madaling panahon ang pagpigil sa paglilipat dahil bukod sa illegal, ito ay unconstitutional.
Nitong Biyernes, lumusob ang grupo ng doctor at public health advocates trooped sa Supreme Court upang maghain ng petition para sa temporary restraining order (TRO) laban sa Department of Finance (DOF) Circular No. 003-2024, na inatasan ang paglilipat ng bilyong pondo na hindi nagamit ng PhilHealth funds para sa “unprogrammed appropriations.”
“If we will have to wait for the next SONA (State of the Nation Address) that’s too long,” ayon kay Pimentel.
“But that’s right, that’s the easiest and fastest route. The government shouldn’t target PhilHealth funds and execute the legal basis they were saying to other GOCCs (government owned and controlled corporations),” aniya.
Sinabi ni Pimentel na habang nakababahala ang pagkilos ng Palasyo sa agarang paglilipat ng idle funds sa GOCCs na pawang bagong imbensiyon ng gobyerno.
“The government believes, the DOF believes that what they are doing is legal, we believe otherwise. It’s against the Constitution,” aniya saka idinagdag na “that utilizing PhilHealth funds for other programs is already a “moral issue.”
“The Courts will eventually decide. But if they really love the people that they wish to help, then can find and sweep idle funds from other GOCCs, but not PhilHealth funds,” giit niya.
Ikinatuwiran ng petioners sa SC na ilipat ang bilyong pondo sa National Treasury sa kabilang kakapusan ng pohdo ng state health insurer.
Sinabi ni Pimentel na galing ang pondong ito sa kontribusyon ng miyembro – direkta man o hindi n a hindi puwedeng galawin ng Kongreso, DOF o PhilHealth.
“Using these funds to fund other items would deprive the Filipino people access to quality and affordable health care goods and services,” aniya.
“That’s why we are asking for the issuance of a TRO while the case is being heard. So that the situation would not turn for the worse,” giit pa ng senador. Ernie Reyes
