An opposition lawmaker has urged the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct a special audit on Philhealth amid the corruption allegations and losses amounting to P26 billion in net operating losses in the past five years.

According to Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, the COA should immediately make the necessary probe to determine the actual losses of the state health insurer.

Aside from the P26 billion in net operating losses, Drilon said Philhealth also has around P48 billion in unpaid claims, virtually depleting the agency’s coffers.

Drilon said an extensive COA audit will scrutinize every transaction detail that the agency has entered into so as to ascertain its losses.

The veteran lawmaker said there is a need to immediately put an end to corruption and mismanagement as Philhealth will handle more funds for the implementation of the Universal Health Care Act.

By 2020, Drilon said PhilHealth would need P257 billion to implement the law. The budget could rise to P319 billion by 2024.

In addition to eradicating corruption, Drilon underscored the need to implement needed reforms in PhilHealth’s collection system. FC/iamigo