BACOLOD City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) has urged the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to fast-track the nationwide rollout of its Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (GAMOT) program and to include Bacolod as a priority area.
During its regular session on Auust 27, the City Council unanimously approved a resolution, authored by Councilor Atty. Caesar Distrito, calling for the city’s inclusion in the program.
The GAMOT program, launched under PhilHealth Circular No. 2025-0013, provides members with up to P20,000 worth of free outpatient medicines annually. It expands the previous Konsulta package, increasing the coverage from 21 to 75 types of medicines for common and chronic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease, and nervous system disorders, as well as other supportive therapies.
Distrito stressed that while the program is initially being rolled out in Metro Manila, Bacolodnons also deserve immediate access to its benefits.
“Access to free and essential medicines is a lifeline for many Bacolodnons. We urge PhilHealth to prioritize Bacolod in the GAMOT rollout so that our people will no longer have to sacrifice their health because of financial difficulties,” he said.
Councilor Dindo Ramos added that the Council will invite the local PhilHealth head to one of its sessions to directly relay the request. Copies of the resolution will also be furnished to Lone District’s Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and PhilHealth President Edwin Mercado.
The resolution underscored Bacolod’s status as a highly urbanized city and regional hub, with hundreds of thousands of PhilHealth members who would immediately benefit from the program. It further emphasized that prioritizing Bacolod will help ease the financial burden on households while strengthening the city’s public health system in line with the constitutional mandate to protect and promote the people’s right to health.
“As one of the fastest-growing cities outside Metro Manila, Bacolod should not be left behind. Our people deserve equal access to this program that can save lives and ease the burden of costly medicines. We hope PhilHealth will hear our call and make Bacolod a priority,” Distrito said./PN
