Ang iminumungkahing privatization ng Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) ay taliwas aniya sa “prinsipyo” ng Universal Health Care Law, giit ni Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque noong Oktubre 2.

Aniya, “I do not agree with privatization, because privatization goes against the very principle of Universal Health Care. Universal Health Care is distinguished from private health insurance because it is, number one, a discharge of state obligation to promote the right to health; and it is a commitment that although members will have to pay their dues, in reality, the dues will not be enough and the balance will, of course, be paid for by the government (Hindi ako sang-ayon sa privatization, kasi taliwas ito sa prinsipyo ng Universal Health Care. Ang Universal Health Care ay iba sa private health insurance dahil una, ito ay tungkulin ng estado na isulong ang karapatan sa kalusugan; at pangako ito na bagama’t magbabayad ang mga miyembro, hindi ito magiging sapat at babayaran pa rin ng gobyerno).”

Ayon kay Roque, isa sa mga principal na awtor ng Universal Health Care Law, ang kanyang orihinal na bersyon ay ipanukalang buwagin ang PhilHealth at palitan ito ng National Health Service. Subalit, hindi ito nasunod.

“I think by way of hindsight, all of this could have been avoided if the original version of my bill was followed – simply to abolish PhilHealth and replace it with the National Health Service (Posible sana itong naiwasan kung nasunod ang aking bersyon – ang pagbuwag sa PhilHealth at pagpapalit nito ng National Health Service),” dagdag pa nito.

Kinumpirma naman ng tagapagsalita ng pangulo na ang lahat ng PhilHealth executives na may Salary Grade 26 at pataas ay inutusang mag-file ng courtesy resignations bilang kabahagi ng reorganization ng ahensya.