“NABAYARAN NA po ang PRC at nagbukas na sila muli kaya patuloy na ang kanilang pagsusuri ng mga swab specimen.“
Thus, reported Health Secretary Francisco Duque at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting of the Philippine Red Cross resuming its Covid-19 testing charged to PhilHealth. This, after the state insurance agency paid half of its over P1 billion debt.
“Mukhang pera.“
Thus, President Duterte quickly interjected.
‘Not presidential’
“HINDI KAMI mukhang pera. Pero sabi ko lang, dahan-dahan naman sa pananalita because nakakatulong naman kami. Hindi naman kami umutang, sila ang umutang, sila nagpa-test, ginawa namin. ‘Di ba dapat bayaran ninyo?”
Thus, decried PRC chair Sen. Richard Gordon the Duterte’s reaction to Duque’s report.
“I think the President should really be careful. Minsan hindi niya alam that the statement is not really presidential,” Gordon said.
And promptly fingered Duque for “misleading” the President: “I think he was misled by the statement because the way the predicate was laid by Secretary Duque was wrong…Sinabi niya, ‘Nag-test na ulit nung biniyaran’.”
Whatever
AS OF Thursday, PhilHealth is reported to have paid the PRC P600 million.
“At binaba na namin ang hinihinging presyo ng PhilHealth. If they continue to pay the P100 million regularly, bababa ang cost to P3,300 or P3,200,“ so was Gordon quoted as saying.
Yeah, money talks. And all is well
