WITH just five days to go before the implementation of the premium rate hike of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) on Wednesday asked President Duterte to order the junking of the mandatory increase as provided under the Universal Health Care (UHC) law.
Earlier this month, President Duterte ordered PhilHealth to suspend the collection of higher premiums from OFWs because of the COVID-19 pandemic which has resulted in loss of jobs for Filipinos overseas.
Migrante chairperson Joanna Concepcion said her group wants “the complete abrogation and junking of the unjust mandatory PhilHealth requirement and annual premium rate increase.”
“We believe that the temporary suspension was only meant to tranquilize OFWs and avert their indignation. We will not allow ourselves to be fooled,” she said.
Concepcion also said it is not right for government to give OFWs another expense to worry about, given the pandemic.
“While thousands of OFWs have lost their jobs because of the pandemic, PhilHealth will start collecting premiums from OFWs when the temporary moratorium ends,” said Concepcion.
To recall, the scheduled increase in the PhilHealth premium of OFWs, from 2.75 percent in 2019 to 3 percent for 2020, was met with criticism as it takes effect amid the COVID-19 crisis.
