President Rodrigo Duterte, during his weekly address to the Philippine public, assured that the government will pay for the Php931 million debt that the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) owes to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC)

Malacañang stated that PRC should resume their services for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing as Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque revealed that the government will pay 50% of the overdue balance either this week or the next.

“The President has committed to pay. I don’t think there’s any reason for the Red Cross to doubt that the President is committed to paying. And because of this, I believe that testing should continue because the Red Cross has been assured that they will be paid,” said Secretary Roque in an interview with CNN Philippines.

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Reports from the Philippine News Agency further that Roque said the partial payment would be “substantial”, considering that the humanitarian organization could not continue functioning unless it has its cash requirements.

“And that’s why we give utmost priority to settling at least 50 percent. Because it is to the interest of both Red Cross and the country that we continue our PCR testing since the Red Cross is responsible for 25 percent of all our testings,” he said.

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Presidente Duterte said the government is currently working on a solution to pay PhilHealth’s accumulated debt of PHP931 million to PRC. His statement comes after the PRC last week stopped conducting tests that are being charged to PhilHealth.

“Itong Red Cross, huwag ka mag-alala mabayaran ‘to (This Red Cross, don’t worry we’ll pay the debt). They’re just looking for a way to present the solution sa (in) [the Commission on Audit] pati sa Budget. Do not worry, we will pay. It will take time, but we will pay,” Duterte said.

President Duterte said he will look for sources to settle the state insurer’s outstanding balance so that the PRC can resume the COVID-19 tests.