Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) manually process their members’ transactions at PhilHealth National Capital Region Central Branch in Quezon City on Tuesday, September 28, following the shutdown of their online system due to a cyberattack last week. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — The head of Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) promised accountability in the state insurer's ranks in response to a Supreme Court magistrate who said an overhaul is needed in light of its budget issues.

During the third day of oral arguments on Tuesday, March 4, regarding the controversial transfer of P89.9-billion in excess PhilHealth reserve funds to the national treasury, Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Kho Jr. said it may be time to revamp the PhilHealth board "for not complying with what the law requires" in requesting its budget from Congress.

SC justice says time to overhaul PhilHealth board

PhilHealth president and CEO Edwin Mercado, who assumed office last month noted the 'dedication' of the members of the board.

"Nakikita ko naman po ang dedikasyon ng ating board members. Bagamat ganoon po eh lahat naman po kami dito maging ako man po ay ina-assess po regularly ang performance," Mercado said in a television interview Wednesday.

(I can see the board members' dedication. Our performance is assessed regularly, even mine)

He said the PhilHealth board under his leadership will be "metrics driven" and will have accountability.

The transfer of supposedly excess funds has raised questions on why PhilHealth had them and did not use them to benefit members, and whether the money could legally be transferred for use for other government projects.

PhilHealth fund transfer points to fiscal mess, and is illegal: UP econ prof

'WE WILL ABIDE'

The state insurer also said that PhilHealth will abide with "whatever the decision of the Supreme Court" on the P60-billion fund already transferred to the national treasury.

Kho, in the same oral arguments, said PhilHealth must urge President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to release an order reverting the transferred “excess funds” to PhilHealth to be used in expanding its benefit packages and improving services.

"Kami ho ay naniniwala na patas po ang proseso, ito po ay pinakikinggan ng talaga pong mga mahistradong sanay po at bihasa dito sa ating mga batas. Kung ano po ang desisyon ng ating kataas-taasang hukuman, kami po ay mag-a-abide, kami po ay susunod," Mercado stated.

(We believe that this is a fair process and magistrates who are experienced and are experts in the law are listeninh. We will abid by whatever the Supreme Court decides)

The SC will hold its fourth round of oral arguments on April 29.

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