THERE have been proposals to expand the coverage of state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and increase the benefits to its members, but the Audit Commission says PhilHealth has not been collecting enough premium payments, and that the government alone owes it P8.89 billion in premium contributions for the years 2001 to 2008.
The Senate committee on health on Wednesday conducted a hearing on proposals to establish a children’s health insurance program and universal coverage under the national health insurance program together with the committees on finance, local government and labor.
The Philippines instituted a national health insurance program in 1995 to provide health insurance coverage and ensure affordable health services for Filipinos under the National Health Insurance Act of 1995, which also created the PhilHealth.
Senators Ralph Recto and Edgardo Angara co-authored Senate Bill 55 that aims to establish mechanisms for children’s health insurance, while Senator Loren Legarda authored Senate Bill 2126 that has the same objectives.
Senators Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Antonio Trillanes IV co-authored Senate Bill 18 that aims for the automatic health insurance coverage for all Filipinos.
But expanding PhilHealth’s coverage and benefits is expected to affect its finances. The company must still collect P8.89 billion from the national government, which represents its contribution to the fund as an employer.
The government has a history of not paying its worker’s premium contributions. In 2003 the Government Service Insurance System billed it for billions in unpaid teacher contributions to the fund.
The Audit Commission says PhilHealth has billed the government for its unpaid counterpart premiums as employer of all government agencies. P8.89 billion was due on it in 2009, and P7.4 billion still require verification from various government agencies.
The commission says PhilHealth should have received P3.5 billion in subsidies from the national government under the General Appropriations Act of 2007, but it received only P2 billion. The subsidy is separate from the government’s contribution to the fund as an employer. –Eileen A. Mencias, Manila Standard Today
July 2025
Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos
July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
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