PhilHealth announced that half of its more than ₱1-billion debt to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) for COVID-19 tests has been settled.
“The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) today released PHP 500 million as partial payment to the Philippine Red Cross,” it said on a statement last Friday.
“It will expedite processing of the remaining balance following strict compliance to government accounting rules and regulations,” PhilHealth added.
PhilHealth racked up a debit of over ₱1 billion, nearly ₱931 million of which was marked as overdue balance, which PRC demanded to be settled before tests could resume.
PhilHealth failed to fulfill its earlier commitment to pay on Monday, October 26. PRC chairman Senator Richard Gordon then called out this oversight and branded it as “reckless.” On Tuesday morning, PRC chairman Senator Richard Gordon warned of possible legal action should the debt remain unpaid.
