By Ma. Teresa Montemayor | Philippine News Agency
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Tuesday urged direct contributors to take advantage of its one-time penalty waiver for past-due premiums to help ease financial burdens during the current state of national energy emergency.
The state insurer issued the call following the declaration of Executive Order 110, which recognizes the heavy impact of the energy emergency on the livelihoods of Filipinos.
While the agency is currently reviewing calls for a temporary suspension of premium collections, it emphasized that the penalty condonation scheme is an immediate measure to provide relief to employers and self-paying members.
“We encourage our direct contributors to avail of this penalty condonation to lighten their expenses,” PhilHealth said in a statement.
“The agency is currently coordinating with government economic managers and awaiting further guidance from Malacañang regarding additional measures,” it added.
PhilHealth assured its members that despite the ongoing economic challenges, health benefits and services will remain uninterrupted for all members in accordance with the Universal Health Care Act.
‘No SPA, No Payment’ for self-paying members
PhilHealth has also begun implementing the “No SPA, No Payment” policy for self-paying members on April 1, as part of digitalization and service efficiency efforts.
In a news release on March 28, the state insurer said the digital system aims to ensure that contributions are accurately recorded and credited without delay, reducing common errors in manual payment processing.
Under the new initiative, self-paying members must generate a Statement of Premium Account (SPA) before contribution payments.
They include self-earning individuals, professional practitioners and land-based overseas Filipinos.
“By requiring a validated SPA prior to payment, PhilHealth aims to minimize posting errors, ensure faster posting of payments and improve overall service efficiency,” read Advisory 2026-0016.
Members can generate their QR-coded SPA by visiting the official portal at spagen.philhealth.gov.ph or by scanning the QR codes available on the PhilHealth website.
The generated SPA must be presented to any PhilHealth Local Health Insurance Office cashier or Accredited Collecting Agent to complete the transaction.
PhilHealth said maintaining up-to-date and accurate contribution records is essential for members to remain eligible for health benefits.
The agency also reminded the public to transact only with authorized collecting agents and to protect their personal information by not sharing their generated SPA with unauthorized individuals.
For a complete list of accredited collecting agents or inquiries regarding the SPA Generator, members may contact the PhilHealth Corporate Action Center at (02) 866-225-88 or through mobile hotlines 0998-8572957 (Smart) and 0917-1275987 (Globe). (PNA)
