PhilHealth

How to run PhilHealth? OIC has health, qualification issues

Mara Cepeda

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How to run PhilHealth? OIC has health, qualification issues

Congress on more alleged illegal practices in PhilHealth. Photo from House of Representatives

Arnel de Jesus, PhilHealth executive vice president and chief operating officer, has skipped several congressional hearings on alleged corruption in the national health insurance agency

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), mired in controversies, is now headed in the interim by an official whose qualifications were earlier questioned by a lawmaker, and who has skipped congressional hearings, citing medical reasons.

Arnel de Jesus, PhilHealth executive vice president and chief operating officer, has been appointed by the board of directors as officer-in-charge in the wake of the resignation of Ricardo Morales as president and chief executive officer. 

This was disclosed to lawmakers by corporate secretary Jonathan Mangaoang on Thursday, August 27, during the 8th House hearing on the anomalies hounding the state insurer.

“Mr Chair, the board yesterday (August 26) approved the designation of EVP COO Arnel de Jesus as officer-in-charge PCEO (president and chief executive officer) effective upon the acceptance of the resignation of [Brigadier] General Morales, following the general rules of succession,” Mangaoang said. 

De Jesus had missed several hearings of both the House and the Senate after being hospitalized on August 5 to undergo an angiogram, angioplasty, and replacement of his pacemaker – a device placed on the chest to help control abnormal heart rhythms.

The last time De Jesus appeared before the joint House panels investigating PhilHealth was on August 17, but he left the plenary hall by 3 pm of that day due to a “medical emergency.” 

House committee on public accounts chair Mike Defensor questioned why De Jesus was chosen to lead PhilHealth when he was clearly unwell.

“So papaano gagawin ’yang trabaho ninyo? I mean, I’m not blaming Mr De Jesus. I’m not saying anything. Pero may sakit siya sa ngayon eh!” Defensor said.

(So how will he perform his duties? I mean, I’m not blaming Mr De Jesus. I’m not saying anything. But he is sick now!)

Cavite 4th District Representative Elpidio Barzaga Jr then asked Mangaoang if the board of directors had considered De Jesus’ medical condition in his appointment. The PhilHealth corporate secretary wasnt sure. 

“There is no discussion yesterday of his medical condition, Mr Chair, although I would assume that the board members were aware of his medical condition, given that his medical certificate came out in the papers prior to the 3rd Senate hearing,” Mangaoang said. 

Cavite 7th District Representative Jesus Crispin Remulla said De Jesus could still participate in the hearing through the teleconferencing app Zoom.

“I know people who have pacemakers, and it helps them live a normal life. It’s not an excuse for the person not to appear before this panel [through] Zoom,” Remulla said.

De Jesus’ qualifications to be EVP and COO was questioned during the hearing on August 20.

Bagong Henerasyon Representative Bernadette Herrera accused PhilHealth of relaxing its qualifications for EVP and COO just so they could accommodate De Jesus.

The Civil Service Commission approved last February Morales’ request to allow a person who only has a bachelor’s degree in accountancy to be qualified to become PhilHealth EVP and COO.

The posts previously required candidates to be career service professionals, but PhilHealth senior vice president for management services sector Dennis Mas said these qualifications could be disregarded if the person was a certified public accountant. 

De Jesus, however, was again absent from the proceedings and was unable to respond to the allegations. 

He is among the senior PhilHealth officials who signed bank secrecy waivers to allow the Anti-Money Laundering Council to look into their bank transactions amid the latest corruption scandal to rock the national health insurance agency. 

Apart from Morales, PhilHealth senior vice president for the legal sector Rodolfo del Rosario Jr and PhilHeath vice president for operations Augustus de Villa also resigned from their posts. – Rappler.com

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Mara Cepeda

Mara Cepeda specializes in stories about politics and local governance. She covers the Office of the Vice President, the Senate, and the Philippine opposition. She is a 2021 fellow of the Asia Journalism Fellowship and the Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship of the UN. Got tips? Email her at mara.cepeda@rappler.com or tweet @maracepeda.