Hontiveros Now In Hotseat Because Of The Alleged Usage Of Philhealth Funds During Campaign

Philhealth is once again making the rounds as news erupted regarding the alleged P383 million it owes to Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental which, according to a source who requested to remain anonymous, is currently hampering the hospital’s operations.

At the heart of the controversy is Senator Risa Hontiveros whose campaign videos from the 2016 national elections also generated heat especially from trade groups who accused her of utilizing Philhealth member contributions for her self-promotion during the above-mentioned campaign period.  Hontiveros was a Board Member of Philhealth at the time of the campaign, and the cost of the production of the said commercial-slash-campaign video was estimated to be around Php 442,000 plus VAT for every single time the video clip aired which, if it can be remembered, aired several times a day throughout the course of the campaign period.

Paula Defensor Knack, former Assistant Secretary of  Lands and Legislative Affairs of the Philippine Dept of Environment and Natural Resources; shared a picture of the senator together with a screenshot of the news clipping from the Visayan Daily Star website regarding the said news.

“VIRAL !!.... since last year, wala ng pera pambayad sa medical claims ang Philhealth ! HONTIVEROS SAGOTIN MO !!!!!!!! TV ads mo P440,000 per showing !!!!!!!!!!!” went Knack’s Facebook post. “If previous delivery of medicines and supplies are not paid, CLMMRH cannot order fresh supplies ! BUHAY NG TAO ANG PINAG-UUSAPAN DITO !!”

Back to CLMMRH this time, Philhealth’s unpaid balances has caused a subsequent delay in the hospital’s payments to its suppliers running six months now. In addition, according to the anonymous source, if Philhealth fails to reimburse the hospital, it will cause the DOH Zero Billing Program for Indigents in CLMMRH to collapse.

The source also added that other hospitals aside from CLMMRH are also experiencing the same problem from Philhealth’s delayed payments.

As of press time, there has been no response from wither Senator Hontiveros nor Philhealth regarding the issue.

How about you, readers? What’s your take on this? Did Senator Risa Hontiveros really use Philhealth contribution money to her own ends, eventually causing this landslide of a problem? Tell us what you think in the comments below.