Undoubtedly, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. cares for the poor Filipinos who are confronted by their financial inadequacy whenever they are confined in government and more so in private hospitals.

That is the reason why, through DAILY TRIBUNE, I never waver in my advocacy of exposing the insensitivity, inutility and incompetence of the PhilHealth board of directors and executives when it comes to committing to cover the full amount of the hospital bills of the health insurance agency’s 113 million members.

I have yet to hear that the Finance Secretary has shown any care for the poor. That is one probable reason why he raided PhilHealth’s P90-billion fund for the National Treasury.

Right now, he is building a political dynasty in Batangas province. His wife Vilma Santos, who looks like my youngest sister Guia, is running to return as governor, while her son Luis is her running mate. Her other son, Ryan, is eyeing a congressional seat. I have yet to confirm a “maritess” report that their driver and maid are up for election too.

Perhaps Recto was emboldened to take the P90 billion, which didn’t belong to him but to the members, because the PhilHealth officials are insensitive or anesthetized, exhibiting no concern for the need of the members, who are mostly poor, to settle huge and mostly unreasonable hospital and medical bills.

By the way, in passing, I have cited the unreasonableness and greed of hospitals in relation to what they charge confined patients like, for instance, the Makati Medical Center. I myself have seen the mountain of difference in prices between what the medical corporation and the drugstores charge.

As exposed by Dr. Tony Leachon, hospitals make money or receive incentives for their prescriptions favoring certain drug manufacturers. One particular drug cost me thrice in the hospital compared to Mercury Drug. We’ll tackle that later so keep reading.

From whatever angle I look at the PhilHealth board and its president/CEO Emmanuel Ledesma Jr., they appear inutile in responding to the needs of its 113-million members nationwide. While Recto admits there is an overflowing P546-billion members’ equity in hand, this only validates the fact that there is more than sufficient money to cover any member’s hospital bills.

Agonizingly for us members, Ledesma and the PhilHealth executives aren’t acting in proportion to the funds available except to commit to the Bong Go Senate committee and the Lower House health committee to improve to a mere 30 percent the agency’s coverage of members’ hospital bills.

That’s peanuts because with so much money what sensible reason or argument would the PhilHealth officials have not to shoulder the hospital bills and medicine needs of the financially handicapped members.

It seems these inutile officials are more inclined to making money in infra investments over the primordial need of 113 million members for an increased subsidy.

As repetitive as we are, the officials, I tell you are, indeed insensitive and incompetent to perform their jobs as mandated by law. They are inutile and don’t serve or meet the thinking and objective of President Bongbong Marcos towards addressing the agonizing health concerns of Filipinos, whether in or out of a hospital.

Because there appears to be not an iota of reason for their continued stay in office, I am of the humble opinion, which is shared by our readers, that the best beneficial option for us members is either they voluntarily leave their posts, soonest, or be fired by the President.

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