Only four days after the national registration day of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth), a government-owned and controlled health insurance entity, last October 2, an urban poor organization in Davao City staged a picket rally in front of the Philhealth office along Quimpo Boulevard.
Coinciding with the first 100 days of President Benigno Aquino III in office, the group, Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay), denounced the 100 percent increase of Philhealth premium contribution for its new registrants.
Its spokesperson, Franchie Buhayan, said they were outraged not only by the increase in monthly payment to Philhealth, but also because of Aquino’s slashing a huge portion from the health budget.
“Where is the health “within our reach’’ program that he promised during his SONA (state of the nation address)?” she said, adding that corruption and rising prices of commodities and services have burdened the people even more.
Buhayan said, “Ordinary employees and low-earning individuals will be affected by the Philhealth increase. We suspect that Philhealth’s P120 million non-moving assets will be used pnly for anomalous incentives for its high ranking officials.”
Mostly urban poor women and youth from Samahan ng Maralitang Kababaihang Nagkakaisa (SAMAKANA) and Kadamay members joined the protest action.
Meanwhile, Bernadith J. Ipanag, public relations officer of the Philhealth regional office 11, said earlier during Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao, that only professionals, particularly doctors and dentists, will be affected by the increase.
This is in line with the concept of “re-spooling and sharing” of funds of the Philhealth, she said, in which the doctors who paid three years premium of P100 will have to adjust to the increase which took effect last October 1.
According to Filbert Bryan L. Sollesta, division chief, there is no significant increase. “It only means the healthy subsidize the sick; the rich subsidize the poor.”
Philhealth reported that in the region there were 4,387 new registrants in the individual paying membership during the national registration day dubbed “Philheath Sabado, Magseguro, Magparehistro.” The total collection reached P410,000 from individual paying members who enrolled on that day, Sollesta said.
It was a one-day registration activity to enlist Filipinos who were not yet members of Philhealth but have the financial capability to personally pay for the premium contribution.
Out of the 46,000 indigents to be sponsored by the Department of Health (DOH) in the Davao region, only 172 indigents enrolled during the event. The DSWD said the remaining indigents identified will be visited in their residences to facilitate their registration.
Such registration will be applicable for the fourth quarter of 2010, Sollesta said, “We have to wait for three months before we can avail of the benefits.” He also noted that Philhealth benefits cater only to hospitalization.
Lifetime members are those who have paid premium contributions for a period of at least 120 months whose ages range from 60 years and above, including their dependents. [Lorie Ann A. Cascaro]
