By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos | Philippine News Agency
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday assured the public that the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has enough funds to continue delivering services to its members.
Marcos made the assurance during the Trabaho at Serbisyong Pangkalusugan sa Bagong Pilipinas fair at the Antipolo Sports Hub in Antipolo City, Rizal.
“Sinabay na rin namin ’yong PhilHealth. Dinala namin dito. Alam niyo po, maraming nag-aalala dahil sinasabi, ‘Wala ng pondo ang PhilHealth para tulungan ang mga maysakit sa atin.’ Hindi po totoo ’yon,” he said.
Marcos stressed that the state insurer continues to improve healthcare access for its members by enhancing benefit packages.
“Mas lumaki ang pambayad sa insurance, mas marami pa ang serbisyo na ibinibigay ng PhilHealth,” he said.
“Napakamahal minsan magpagamot kaya nandiyan po ang PhilHealth. Nandiyan po sila upang tanggapin lahat po ng impormasyon ninyo at ilalagay po nila sa kanilang data center at makakapagbigay po sila ng PhilHealth ID,” Marcos added.
The Supreme Court on Thursday concluded the oral arguments on the transfer of P89.9 billion in excess funds from PhilHealth to the national treasury.
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said the move to redirect PhilHealth’s excess funds is “legal, moral, and economically sound.”
PhilHealth on Wednesday announced its plan to raise its coverage of hospital costs for members to 18% by 2025 and increase it further to 28% by 2028.
In January 2025, the state insurer also launched additional and expanded health benefit packages that its members could avail of starting this year.
The new benefits include the ischemic heart disease-acute myocardial infarction, Z Package for peritoneal dialysis, Z Package for kidney transplantation, preventive oral health services, outpatient emergency care benefit, and 50-percent adjustment in case rates packages.
Continued assistance for job seekers, nano enterprises
The Chief Executive, likewise, assured that the government would continue assisting Filipino job hunters and nano-entrepreneurs.
“Binibigyan pati ng suporta sa equipment, sa training, at kahit mabigyan ng kaunting puhunan para makapag-start po ng kanilang mga bagong negosyo kahit na maliliit lamang. Eh pinag-uusapan po natin dati, lagi natin sinasabi ang medium- and small-scale enterprises. Ngayon napunta na po tayo sa micro enterprise, nano enterprise ang tawag din,” Marcos said.
“At magpapasalamat din ako sa mga employer. At dahil ’yong mga employer po ay kinausap namin na makapunta rito upang ’yong mga nag-a-apply sa iba’t ibang klaseng trabaho ay mabigyan naman ng pagkakataon,” he added.
Marcos said his administration is taking a whole-of-government approach to make sure that Filipinos from the marginalized sector would get the necessary support.
At least 766 job vacancies were offered by 10 participating employers in the job fair.
Job vacancies are available to some 300 job seekers who are beneficiaries of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Around 1,800 graduating beneficiaries of the DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) also received P3,000 each under the AICS.
The Department of Labor and Employment distributed various Integrated Livelihood Program packages to several beneficiaries and conducted an orientation for 122 beneficiaries of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay Para sa Ating Disadvantaged or Displaced Workers program.
The Department of Health turned over anti-dengue commodities and offered free medicine; medical services such as screening laboratories, X-rays and electrocardiograms; vaccination for pneumonia; and medical consultations.