Recto urged to recall directive on PhilHealth funds

Finance Secretary Ralph Recto should rescind his directive for the state health insurer to transfer excess funds to the national coffers, according to a group including retired Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio.

- JANVIC MATEO

"Unused" funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) are being remitted to the Bureau of the Treasury to finance unprogrammed appropriations including the congressional pork barrel this year.

In an Aug. 22 letter, Carpio and lawyer Howard Calleja - convenors of multisectoral group 1Sambayan urged Recto to review the transfer of PhilHealth funds, saying this violates the Constitution on two grounds.

"First, in the Executive Branch, only the President can be authorized by law to transfer savings from one item to another in the appropriations for the Executive Branch under the GAA (General Appropriations Act)," the letter read.

Carpio and Calleja explained that the delegation of power to the finance secretary to transfer savings, from government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCS) to the Treasury, is unconstitutional, as it is an undue delegation of constitutional power that belongs exclusively to the President.