Palace welcomes House willingness to grant Duterte emergency powers to fix PhilHealth mess

September 3, 2020

Malacanang said on Thursday it is "most welcome" if Congress really sees the need to grant President Rodrigo Duterte emergency powers to address the corruption problem in Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque recalled that PhilHealth was created based on the law and the PhilHealth Law was amended through the Universal Healthcare Law, which was passed under the Duterte administration.

"We welcome the willingness of the House of Representatives to give such emergency powers to the President," he said in a virtual press briefing.

But Roque said the Palace has yet to see the full proposal coming from the House of Representatives.

"I need to see first the specific emergency powers that the House wants to give and that is most welcome if there is really a need," he added.

In a recent hearing at the House of Representatives, Anakalusugan Rep. Michael Defensor, an administration ally, said that the House public accounts committee was inclined to give Duterte emergency powers to deal with corruption in PhilHealth.

Defensor has yet to disclose the details of the special authority that they plan to grant to President.

Duterte has appointed former National Bureau of Investigation Director Dante Gierran to head PhilHealth and ordered him to go after corrupt officials in the state-run health insurer. Celerina Monte/DMS