THREE local government units in Pangasinan filed a joint petition on Wednesday demanding a full accounting from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) over primary-care funds managed under the province’s centralized health framework.
Legal representatives from the municipality of Bayambang, the city of Urdaneta, and the municipality of Malasiqui submitted the petition at the PhilHealth head office in Pasig City.
Bayambang Municipal Legal Officer Atty. Bayani Brillante Jr. and LGU spokesperson Atty. Hue Jyro U. Go filed the document on behalf of their respective municipal and city mayors.
At the core of the request is the allocation of the ₱1,700 primary-care capitation rate designated by PhilHealth for every qualified beneficiary.
According to Atty. Go, under the current provincial setup, only 20 percent (₱340) of this amount is directly released to the LGU level, while the remaining 80 percent (₱1,360) is funneled into a pooled Special Health Fund (SHF) managed at the provincial level.
Go emphasized that the LGUs are not making outright accusations of theft or corruption at this stage, but are seeking full transparency regarding the official numbers for the benefit of their residents.
However, Go noted that filing a complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman remains a legal option under review should PhilHealth’s audit reveal evidence of anomalies, malversation, or fund misuse.
The petition formalizes several key demands to PhilHealth and the Pangasinan provincial government:
- Financial Reconciliation: A certified, LGU-by-LGU accounting detailing beneficiary counts, PhilHealth remittances, SHF credits, Provincial Health Board allocations, disbursements, obligations, and remaining balances attributable to their residents.
- Re-evaluation of Program Branding: Transparency regarding health services distributed under the province’s local “GUICOnsulta” branding, ensuring public communications clearly distinguish PhilHealth-funded healthcare from local or provincial government initiatives.
- Carve-Out Mechanism: Clarification on whether Bayambang, Urdaneta City, and Malasiqui can legally exit the pooled framework through stand-alone provider status, LGU-specific capitation carve-outs, or segregated sub-ledgers.
The petition follows public discussion surrounding provincial health distribution, including social media scrutiny over “Guico-C”—an ascorbic acid and zinc supplement distributed to GUICOnsulta beneficiaries.
While Governor Ramon V. Guico III and the provincial government previously stated that Guico-C is FDA-registered and was acquired via donation without using provincial funds, local officials maintain that official documentation is required to establish which healthcare services and products are financed by PhilHealth versus the province.
Despite the petition and potential legal remedies under consideration, the LGUs affirmed that local healthcare operations will proceed uninterrupted.
Referral systems, emergency care, and standard PhilHealth benefit claims will remain active for residents while financial auditing and administrative reconciliation are resolved.
BRABO News remains open to any statement from the Pangasinan provincial government or PhilHealth regarding the issue.