House panels approve bills authorizing President to suspend PhilHealth, SSS rate hike
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 21) Two committees in the House of Representatives approved on Thursday measures granting the President the power to suspend scheduled contribution hikes in times of national emergencies.
The Committee on Health approved House Bill No. 8316, or an act granting the country’s chief executive the power to suspend scheduled contribution increases of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, amending section 10 of the Republic Act No. 11223, or the Universal Health Care Law.
In a position paper, PhilHealth President and CEO Dante Gierran said they fully support the measure provided that the subsequent scheduled increases in the premium contributions shall be adjusted to fall on the years following the lifting of the suspension.
By Aurelio R. Montinola III
(This article, with some light editing, was lifted from the Inaugural Speech delivered by the author as the President of the Management Association of the Philippines for 2021.)
First, a look back at 2020.
The year 2020 was unexpectedly a year of severe and multiple crises.
We had and have a Health Crisis.
The COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic hit the world and the Philippines like a giant sledgehammer. Global statistics show over 94 million COVID-19 cases, over 2 million deaths everywhere, comparisons with the 1918 Spanish Flu, and fears of a deadlier second wave.
End December Philippines Department of Health indicators report 439,796 cases, a 92.77% recovery rate, a 5.28% active rate (25,024 cases), and a 1.95% Death Rate (9,244 deaths).
January 14, 2021
Facebook/btsfanpageofficial
A former speaker of the Philippines ’ House of Representatives has sparked outrage on social media after announcing his intent to form a new political grouping named after world-famous South Korean boy band BTS.
Alan Peter Cayetano, an ally of President Rodrigo Duterte who was ousted as speaker in October, said he would form the BTS sa Kongreso (BTS in Congress) bloc with six fellow lawmakers – Representatives Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte Jnr, Dan Fernandez, Raneo Abu, Mike Defensor, Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado and Fredenil Castro – even mimicking the number of members in the K-pop group. The bloc is expected to be formally introduced in Congress on Thursday.
Published January 14, 2021, 12:10 PM
Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, said Thursday that he would thoroughly study plans to amend the economic provisions in the 1987 Philippine Constitution to spur growth and recovery, particularly now that the country aims to recover swiftly from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go
(Senator Christopher “Bong” Go official Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Kung economic provision ang pag-uusapan, pabor po ako dahil 33 years na po ang Constitution at iba na po ang ating sitwasyon ngayon,” Go said when asked on his thoughts about Charter change.
(If the issue is amending the economic provision, I am in favor because the Charter is now 33-years-old and the situation now has changed)
Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano and Speaker Lord Allan Velasco
Probinsyano Ako partylist Rep. Jose “Bonito” Singson lashed at Cayetano’s “BTS (Back to Service) sa Congress” coalition for acting as “spoiled brats” and for supposedly politicking.
“Honestly, they acted like self-entitled, petulant children during their little presscon. They kept on emphasizing that they will continue to work as Congressmen, despite losing their Committee Chairmanships and positions. Since when is this a pre-requisite to work?,” he said in a statement issued after Cayetano’s group held a presser in Quezon City.
“So taong bayan pa ang may utang na loob sa kanila dahil nagtratrabaho sila kahit wala silang special appointments? Talk about being spoiled brats!”