Senator Bong Go has appealed to the country’s top financial managers to reconsider the planned increase in Philhealth monthly contribution for the current year.
In a statement Go also urged his fellow legislators and government finance managers to explore options while most Filipinos are still struggling to recover from the global pandemic brought by COVID-19. He said the deferment of the premium increase can also be included in the proposed Bayanihan 3.
While Go acknowledged the need to increase the premium as provided for under the Universal Health Care Act, he however stressed that thousands of Filipinos, including Overseas Filipino Workers have lost their jobs and may be unable to pay the additional premium.
He added: “Whether we amend the law or augment the funds of PhilHealth, let us work together to find a viable solution to achieve universal health care for all without imposing unnecessary burden to ordinary Filipinos during this challenging time.”
Netizens are currently questionimg the increase in premium after PhilHealth explained the increase is to “ensure sufficient funding for the health care of its 110 million members as mandated by Republic Act No. 11223 or the Universal Health Care Law.”
In a statement however, PhilHealth said that while it recognized the currently pandemic it is also duty bound to implement Section 10 of the UHC law. In an advisory released late December of 2020, PhilHealth announced that those who have a monthly basic salary of ₱10,000 and below shall have a fixed contribution of ₱350 a month, while those earning ₱70,000 and higher will remit a monthly contribution of ₱2,450.
