PhilHealth president resigns

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) interim president and chief executive officer (PCEO) Hildegardes Dineros yesterday resigned from his post, according to Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial, amid a power struggle between the two officials.

An appointee of President Duterte, Dineros quit after Ubial questioned his appointment of some people as “illegal.”

Ubial did not elaborate but said in an interview that Dineros had “acted beyond his authority.”

The rift between Ubial and Dineros started when Dineros re-assigned and re-appointed personnel, although his appointment in an interim capacity did not give him the power to do so.

A PhilHealth advisory showed that Dineros, a bariatic and metabolic surgeon, had submitted his resignation and it was accepted yesterday by the PhilHealth board in a special meeting.

“He realized he was misled and was wrong, so he resigned. We elected Dr. Celestina dela Serna, one of the board members (of PhilHealth) as interim PCEO in his place,” Ubial said.

Dela Serna, who used to be director for Filipino migrant workers sector, shall serve as “interim/OIC PCEO of PhilHealth pending nomination to be made by the President of the Philippines and subsequent election by the board of a regular PCEO.”