MANILA – Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will no longer be required to pay premiums to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).
This after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the PhilHealth to suspend the collection of higher premiums from OFWs and make their payment on a voluntary basis.
Duterte’s directive came after thousands signed an online petition protesting PhilHealth premium rate hikes for the OFWs.
“Ipipinapaalam po namin sa inyo na nag-isyu ng direktiba ang Pangulo sa Philhealth na gawing boluntaryo ang pagbabayad ng mga OFWs ng Philhealth premiums,” said Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
“Sa ngayon po, habang meron tayong krisis, ang naging desisyon ng Presidente, wag na muna tayong magpataw ng karagdagang pahirap sa ating mga OFWs, lalong lalo na sa panahon na napakadami sa kanila ang nare-repatriate at nawalan na rin ng trabaho,” Roque added.
With Duterte’s order, the Department of Health has suspended the item 10.2.c of the Implementing Rules and Regulation of the Universal Healthcare law that mandates the higher premium payment for OFWs.
“Ang nililinaw ko lang ay, unang una, ang pagtaas po ay hindi three percent. It’s only .5 percent,” the Palace spokesman said. “At pangalawa, nakasaad po sa batas na ating sinulong na kapag hindi nakapagbayad ng premiums, hindi po ‘yan dahilan para mawalan ng benepisyo.”
OFWs with an income of P10,000 to P60,000 are required to pay 3 percent of their monthly salary starting 2020, up from 2.75 percent the previous year, according to a memo circular that took effect last April 22.
The monthly premium will increase by 0.5 percent every year afterward until it reaches five percent in 2024./PN
