The Department of Justice (DOJ) in the Philippines is currently reviewing the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the Philippine Red Cross.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevara stated that the DOJ’s opinion was requested by Philhealth through its president Dante Gierran “before it makes a decision to pay its indebtedness” to the PRC.
“We’re giving this our preferential attention,” said Secretary Guevara, who furthered that the review will take up the whole MOA, but more particularly on procurement issues.
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Malacañang earlier said PRC can resume its coronavirus disease (Covid-19) testing services after President Rodrigo Duterte gave his assurance that PhilHealth would settle its PHP931-million debt, starting with 50 percent of the overdue balance incurred by PhilHealth for testing services to the PRC within the month, as per reports from the Philippine News Agency.
The PRC last week stopped conducting tests that are being charged to PhilHealth.
The PRC has been receiving samples of returning overseas Filipino workers, those arriving in airports and seaports, those in mega swabbing facilities, and front-line health and government workers.
Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III said at least 6,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were stranded after the PRC stopped the COVID-19 tests for the government due to PhilHealth’s unpaid balance.
READ ON: DOLE: Stranded OFWs in quarantine facilities due to Red Cross non-testing for COVID-19 reach 6,000
Bello said the OFW-returnees have been stranded in hotels in Metro Manila as they wait for their swab tests and results before they will be transported by the government to their respective provinces.
A negative swab test result is one of the requirements for the OFWs to be able to go back to their hometowns.
Gierran said the state insurer will pay its outstanding balance but also pointed out that his team found questionable items in the agency’s existing deal with the non-government organization.
