Manila, Feb. 5 -- Senate Deputy Majority Leader Joseph Victor Ejercito on Wednesday called on newly appointed Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) president and chief executive officer Edwin Mercado to prioritize public welfare and the proper implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) law rather than treating the agency as a profit-driven entity.

Ejercito, the principal sponsor and author of the UHC law, warned Mercado against repeating past leadership approaches that focused too much on financial sustainability at the expense of public service.

He called for PhilHealth to ensure better coverage of hospital and medical expenses for Filipinos, aligning with the UHC law's goal of reducing out-of-pocket costs for families....