Morales says he won’t quit as PhilHealth president

August 6, 2020

 Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) president and chief executive Officer Ricardo Morales Thursday said he is not resigning from his post and intends to fulfill his mission to eliminate corruption.

In a hastily called virtual press conference on Thursday afternoon, Morales said: "My family has been begging me to resign already. But I am here serving at the pleasure of the President. Until I'm needed, like a good soldier, I'm just sticking it out."

"The instructions to me is to stay here," added Morales, who assumed the PhilHealth presidency last year.

Morales said solving corruption in the state-run health insurer cannot be done instantly.

"Reforms do not happen overnight. It needs a special and sustained effort to weed out fraud that it deeply rooted," he said.

Morales said he respects the decision of senior vice president for operations Augustus de Villa to resign on Thursday.

He said he was able to talk to de Villa earlier, admitting that it was brought about by stress. DMS