PhilHealth Adopts Whistleblowing Policy




In a bid to protect the National Health Insurance fund from possible fraud, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) recently adopted a corporate-wide Whistleblowing Policy and established a Whistleblowing Committee to ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the policy.
 
In its February 2 meeting, the PhilHealth Board of Directors approved the policy and immediately directed Management to upload it in the official website in compliance with good corporate governance practices. The policy can be downloaded from http://www.philhealth.gov.ph/about_us/transparency/Whistleblowing_Policy.pdf.
 
The Whistleblowing Policy will enable individuals to report, provide information, and even testify on matters involving the actions or omissions of the PhilHealth Board Directors, officers, and employees that are illegal or unethical, or those that  violate good governance principles.  They can also report actions that are against public policy and morals, promote unsound and unhealthy business practices, and are grossly disadvantageous to PhilHealth or the government. The informant or whistleblower may report anonymously, is protected from retaliatory action and can be incentivized under this policy.
 
Other conditions that the whistleblower may report are instances of abuse of authority, bribery, conflict of interest, destruction or manipulation of records, fixing, inefficiency, making false statements, malversation, misappropriation of assets, misconduct, money laundering, negligence of duty, nepotism, plunder, receiving a commission, solicitation of gifts, taking advantage of corporate opportunities, undue delay in rendition of service, undue influence and violation of procurement laws.
 
Whistleblowers are encouraged to utilize the online reporting channel that will be established by the Whistleblowing Committee. Reports on any violation of law, rules, code of conduct or any wrongdoing covered by the policy can also be addressed to the Whistleblowing Committee  at Room 1711, Citystate Centre, 709 Shaw Blvd., Pasig City.
 
The policy also provides that retaliatory acts against whistleblowers who submit reports in good faith shall not be tolerated. These acts include discrimination or harassment in the workplace, demotion, reduction in salary benefits, termination of contract, and evident bias in performance evaluation. All possible assistance under the law will be extended to the whistleblower.
 
Meanwhile, reported cases that refer to complaints against program implementors will be referred to the Grievance and Appeals Review Committee (GARC) that was also recently established by the PhilHealth Board. (END)

Reference:  Dr. Israel Francis A. Pargas
                   PhilHealth Official Spokesperson
                   OIC-Vice President, Corporate Affairs Group
                   Tel. (02) 441-7444 ext. 7587

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