(Eagle News) — Employees of PhilHealth on Monday, June 4, accused former interim president Celestina Dela Serna of incompetence and of exercising an “abusive and insensitive” brand of leadership.
According to the employees, the “incompetent management and lack of direction” of Dela Serna, who has been relieved by President Rodrigo Duterte, has led to a “dismal 53 percent corporate performance rating” of PhilHealth in 2017.
They said this was way lower compared to the more than 90 percent rating in 2016.
“As if these were not enough, the continuously abusive, and insensitive leadership by [former] Interim OIC President and CEO Celestina Ma. Jude De La Serna has brought about widespread demoralization among PhilHealth employees and officers across the entire Corporation,” they said.
According to them, “instead of focusing on policy interventions to arrest the losses and addressing the substantial issues threatening the sustainability of the funds,” the former PhilHealth chief and “her co-appointees in the board have engaged in anti-employee actions and blame officers and employees for the loss and poor performance.”
They added an order issued by Dela Serna on January 18 reduced the period of employment of casual employees from one year to three months.
They said she also dismissed 17 casual employees only for expressing their dissent against the agency’s “oppressive policies,” and anti-fraud personnel who reported about fraudulent claims in other areas of operation.
They said the P2,700 monthly rice allowance of employees was also discontinued by Dela Serna.
