By Joseph B.A. Marzan
Iloilo Provincial Board Member Domingo Oso (4th district) on Monday hit the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) over the Internal Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM) and its effects on Western Visayas which is reeling from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
In a privilege speech during the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Tuesday, Oso said he was “lamenting” and “grieving”, as the region has become victim of “grave injustice” as a “direct offshoot” of the exchanges among former and current top officials of PhilHealth.
“I stand before you to lament and grieve; We in Western Visayas are victims of a grave injustice as a direct offshoot of squabble among top officials, corruption by a group at the top echelons of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, or Philhealth,” Oso said.
He noted that in a recent Senate hearing, PhilHealth had not disbursed anything for Western Visayas from the P27-billion IRM.
An estimated P15 billion had already been released, with the biggest chunk of P326 million going to the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City.
He also mentioned Senator Franklin Drilon’s discovery during a Senate hearing that Western Visayas was excluded from the IRM.
The region’s top government hospitals, the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Regional Hospital in Negros Occidental and the Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City, did not get any share from the IRM, according to Oso.
“Western Visayas, which also reels from the brunt of COVID-19 cases has not received a centavo from the COVID-19 Internal Reimbursement Mechanism. COVID-19 as of August 15, 2020 affected 2,800 and claimed 38 lives in Western Visayas where Iloilo Province and city belong. That’s the data from the Department of Health Region 6 and from the revelation of Senator Franklin Drilon,” he said.
He pleaded to PhilHealth to “spare Wetsern Visayas” from their “squabble” and to include its hospitals in the IRM.
“I appeal to our PhilHealth top officials. Spare Western Visayas from your squabble. Give what is due to us. Release our share from your Internal Reimbursement Mechanism for COVID-19 patients. The Ilonggos need it,” Oso said.
