Marcos to PhilHealth: Impose waiver for interest of unpaid contributions

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Thursday directed the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. to implement a ''general amnesty'' for those who missed to pay their contributions to PhilHealth.

''Sa aming patuloy na tumulong sa ating mga kababayan, lalong-lalo na sa tinatawag nating healthcare, eh inutusan ko po ang PhilHealth na magpatupad ng general amnesty para sa mga negosyante, private employer, mga self-employed na ating mga kababayan na hindi nabayaran ang kontribusyon sa PhilHealth,'' Marcos said in a video message. 

(As we continue to help our kababayans, especially in the healthcare sector, I ordered the PhilHealth to impose a general amnesty for businessmen, private employers, and self-employed who failed to pay their contributions.) 

''Alam naman namin na 'yung 3% na binabayad para sa PhilHealth na buwan-buwan ay ramdam na ramdam ng ating mga kababayan,'' he added. 

(We know that the 3% contribution to PhilHealth has been felt by our citizens.)

Marcos further said that for 2026, there will be a one-time waiver for the interest of unpaid PhilHealth contributions. He added that this covers those who had missed contributions from July 2013 to December 2024.

''Inutusan ko po ang PhilHealth, gagawa tayo nitong taon na ito, 2026, ang tinatawag na one-time waiver para sa interest... ngayong taong 2026,'' he said.

(For this year, I directed the PhilHealth to implement a one-time waiver for the interest of unpaid contributions in the past years.) 

According to the President, this measure aims to help around 300,000 employers. 

Meanwhile, he also urged employers to include their employees to the Yaman ng Kalusugan (YAKAP) Program so that they can avail of PhilHealth benefits offering comprehensive primary and outpatient care.

''Hinihikayat din natin ang ating mga employer na iupdate na lahat ng information ninyo at irehistro ang mga empleyado ninyo sa Yaman Kalusugan o 'yung tinatawag nating YAKAP Program,'' Marcos said. 

(We also urge employers to update their information and register their employees in the Yaman Kalusugan or YAKAP Program.)

The YAKAP is an expansion of the Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama (Konsulta), bringing in additional primary and outpatient care initiatives of PhilHealth, including medicines, check-ups, and basic laboratory tests.

Cancer screening tests are also made available for members for free at select hospitals through valid prescriptions from their accredited primary care providers. 

The program also offers access to additional medicines under the strengthened PhilHealth Guaranteed Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (Gamot) program. —AOL, GMA Integrated News