PhilHealth to transfer erring execs

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has approved  the transfer of seven “incompetent” officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

Comelec said it granted the request of Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro Herbosa to exempt PhilHealth from the ban on hiring and movement of employees, as he seeks to reassign the said officials due to “loss of confidence.”

In a statement, Comelec said Herbosa’s request complied with exemptions under the Omnibus Election Code, which prohibits the transfer of government employees during an election period.

The poll regulator is set to conduct  the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Election (BSKE) this month.

“By virtue of the authority granted upon me under Resolution No. 10924, promulgated on 07 June 2023, the recommendation of the Law Department is hereby Approved,” reads the memorandum signed by Comelec Chairman George Garcia.

Garcia gave the go-signal to their law department’s recommendation to grant exemption and approve “to transfer or detail any officer and employee of the PhilHealth.”

The DOH board expressed dismay over the “observed incompetence, gross negligence, and ineffective leadership” of at least seven committee members, which allegedly caused adverse effects on PhilHealth.

Based on the memorandum,   the PhilHealth officials who would be transferred are Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Eli Dino Santos, Acting-Senior Vice President Nerissa Santiago, and Senior Vice Presidents Jovita Aragona, Renato Limsiaco, Jose Mari Tolentino, Deniss Mas, and Israel Francies Pargas.

Citing the assertions of Herbosa in his exemption request, Comelec said the PhilHealth officials were being transferred for “incompetence, gross negligence, and ineffective leadership.”

The Health secretary earlier called out the committee for the corporation’s delayed payouts to hospitals.

The BSKE’s election period is from Aug. 28, 2023 to Nov. 29, 2023.