DOLE urges private sector employers to help workers register for PhilHealth YAKAP

Acting Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino has urged employers in the private sector to ensure that their employees are registered under the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

In Labor Advisory No. 10, series of 2026, Tolentino said “all employers in the private sector are hereby enjoined to support and facilitate the registration of their workers under the PhilHealth YAKAP.”

Employers were encouraged to coordinate with PhilHealth for the conduct of onsite registration activities within the workplace and to provide necessary assistance to workers in completing their registration, including online registration through the eGov app and PhilHealth Member Portal.

The labor advisory will apply to employers in the private sector, including those engaged in the informal economy.

The PhilHealth YAKAP is a national primary care benefit package that includes comprehensive outpatient services to all PhilHealth members and their qualified dependents and aims to reduce out-of-pocket healthcare expenses and prevent hospitalization through early detection of chronic conditions.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) also urged employers to promote workers’ access to first-contact consultations with accredited YAKAP providers by granting excused absences for employees who will enroll at PhilHealth offices or avail consultation services at YAKAP clinics.

In return, employees are advised to give their employers prior notice when needed. — JMA, GMA News