Doctors and other public health workers here are crying foul after the Navotas City government, during the time of Rep. Toby Tiangco as mayor, allegedly failed to release their rightful shares amounting to more than P9 million from settled claims with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, with some payments pending for as long as one to seven years, according to the latest Commission on Audit (COA) report.
Tiangco served as mayor of Navotas City from 2019 to 2022. The city is now led by his brother, Mayor John Rey Tiangco, a former congressman.
Unreleased professional fees of doctors and other health workers at the Navotas City government have ballooned to more than P9 million, based on the 2024 audit report released on December 9, 2025.
As of press time, Rep. Tiangco has yet to issue a statement on the matter despite requests for comment.
State auditors flagged the failure to release the payments as a clear violation of existing health and insurance laws and regulations.
The auditors said the non-release of payments violated Department of Health Administrative Order No. 2016-033, Item IV, Section 34-A of Republic Act No. 10606, and PhilHealth Circular No. 0035, series of 2013.
“Review and analysis of the Due to Officers and Employees account disclosed that professional fees representing the share of doctors and health workers from PhilHealth claims had an outstanding balance of P10,318,334.61 as of December 31, 2024,” the auditors said.
Included in the amount were unpaid professional fees and collections from the Animal Bite Treatment Center and the Tanza Lying-in Clinic, which auditors said should have been released to health workers but remained undistributed.
Auditors clarified that P9,006,281.61 in undistributed professional fees had remained unpaid for one to seven years, even after the city released P1,933,301.79 during the year, leaving a substantial balance.
An inquiry with the City Health Office revealed that no official report was being maintained listing the names of health workers, the amounts owed, or other details necessary to process payments.
The COA flagged the City Accountant and City Health Officer and ordered the immediate release of the long-overdue professional fees.
The City Health Office told COA it is coordinating with the City
Accountant’s Office to reconcile the remaining unpaid balance based on the fund utilization report and vowed to strictly observe the 30-day disbursement deadline under PhilHealth Circular No. 0035, assuring that future submissions will include complete documentation.
