Senatorial candidate and PhilHealth director Risa Hontiveros was accused by some trade groups that she is using PhilHealth contributions for her self promotion. She appears to be putting her own political ambitions over the needs of indigent patients as she spends the agency’s fund for her own commercials.
Risa Hontiveros uses the commercials of PhilHealh which projected as public service announcements. The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) criticized Hontiveros because a PhilHealth ads featured her which also flooded the airwaves.
According to the estimates of TUCP, the 30-second commercials of PhilHealth featuring Risa Hontiveros cost at least P442,000 plus value-added tax for each time it airs.
TUCP President Former Sen. Ernesto Herro reminded Risa Hontiveros that PhilHealth’s governing board “has fiduciary duty to conserve the hard-earned contributions of workers for current and future benefit payments.”
“The members of the board of directors (of Philhealth), even if they are all political appointees, are supposed to insulate the state-run insurer and its funds from partisan political activity,” the former senator stated.
Risa Hontiveros is running for senator under the administration party’s Liberal Party in the May 2016 elections. Before becoming a board member of Philhealth, Risa Hontiveros is a known ally of Pres. Aquino, she took her oath of office as Philhealth Board Member last June 30, 2015.
I’m not surprised at all. Liberal party yan eh!
Very, very clear. Using public funds for one’s advantage is abhor able.
Style nila yan sa Liberal party eh…