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Pinoy Abroad
Bong Go urges PhilHealth to delay hike in OFW premium payments
Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go on Monday urged PhilHealth to study the possibility of delaying either the implementation of the 3% increase in premium contributions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as stated in the Universal Health Care Law or its payment.
Go, Senate health committee chairman, said the state health insurer should not add to the burden now being experienced by OFWs due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
A recent PhilHealth circular increased the premium payments of OFWs whose monthly income ranged from P10,000 to P60,000 to 3% of their monthly salary starting this year, an increase from 2.75% in 2019.
Under PhilHealth Circular 2020-0014 dated April 16, 2020, OFWs can make payments every three months, six months, or 12 months. For sea-based OFWs, the mode of payment was monthly by salary deduction by their respective agencies or employers.
OFW groups opposed the increase in premium payments.
The senator said most of the OFWs who lost their job or affected by the pandemic are now depending on the government for the P10,000 one-time financial assistance.
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“Hindi naman po tama na sa panahong umaasa sila sa dagdag na tulong mula sa gobyerno, kaya pa natin sila sisingilin ng dagdag na kontribusyon. Ang hinihingi ko lamang ay mabigyan natin ng kinakailangang ‘palugit’ ang mga OFWs sa kabila ng pinapasan nilang hirap ngayon. Lahat ng palugit na pwede natin maibigay sa panahon ng krisis, ibigay na po natin. Sabi nga nila, ‘in times of crisis, every single peso saved counts’,” he said.
“Balansehin lang natin ito para hindi rin naman mailagay sa alanganin ang kabuuang pondong pangkalusugan na makakatulong sa mas maraming Pilipino lalo na ngayon na nasa health crisis pa tayo,” he added.
Go said he also appealed to PhilHealth to amend its circular stating that even “Overseas Filipinos in Distress” should pay the contribution.
“Kung pupwede ay huwag na isama yung repatriated OFWs at ‘yung mga lubos na apektado ng krisis sa sisingilin pa ng gobyerno sa panahong sila ang nangangailangan ng tulong mula sa atin,” he said.
He also urged the state health insurer to improve its information dissemination to help Filipinos better understand where their contributions go.
“Ipaliwanag natin ng maayos ang lahat ng mga benepisyo ng pagiging miyembro ng PhilHealth. I-kumpara ang kabuuang halaga ng binabayaran na premiums sa kabuuang halaga ng lahat ng benepisyong nakukuha nila at ng kanilang pamilya. At i-identify kung ano ang mga idinagdag na mga benepisyo dahil sa pagtaas ng bayarin sa PhilHealth,” he said.—AOL, GMA News