MANILA – Senator-elect JV Ejercito said Monday he will recommend to President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. the suspension of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation's (PhilHealth) scheduled increase of premium rates this month.
Ejercito said it is inappropriate to impose on workers any premium increase in times of crisis.
"Normal ang sitwasyon noon. Napakaganda ng takbo ng ekonomiya. Hindi lang ng Pilipinas, ng buong mundo kaya ang mga computation po niyan ay based doon sa sitwasyon ng panahon na 'yun (The situation was normal then. The economy was doing good in the Philippines, in the world and the computations were based on the situation at the time)," he said in an interview with “Unang Balita” of GMA 7.
The PhilHealth premium increase is mandated under Republic Act (RA) 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act, authored by Ejercito himself during his previous stint in the Senate and passed into law in 2019.
As prescribed in Section 10 of RA 11223 and in accordance with PhilHealth Circular No. 2020-0005 on the Premium Contribution Schedule in the National Health Insurance Program, “all direct contributors are hereby advised that the premium rate for Calendar Year 2022 is 4.0 percent, with an income floor of PHP10,000.00 and income ceiling of PHP80,000.00 effective January 2022”.
Ejercito said the country and the rest of the world did not see the Covid-19 pandemic coming, hence the government should adapt to the situation.
He added that it is his mission and obligation to look into the Universal Health Care law and make sure it is properly implemented.
"Ito'y work in progress kaya ito ang number one priority ko na tutukan ito na maayos. Kung may mga kailangang adjustment dahil nasa second, third-year implementation, ay ako na mismo ang maghahain ng (This is a working progress that's why this is my number one priority to make sure this is fixed. If there are needed adjustments because it is still in its second, third year of implementation, I, myself, will file the) amendments," Ejercito said.
Presumptive Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri recently announced that Ejercito will be the chairperson of the Committees on Local Government and Higher Education in the 19th Congress.
Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, the Committee on Health and Demography chair, also said in a statement that he does not want the PhilHealth premium hike to add to the burden of Filipinos while still facing the pandemic.
"Balansehin muna ninyo lahat. Pag-aralan ninyong mabuti at sana po ay huwag po itong maging pabigat sa mga mahihirap. Kaya pa naman po ng PhilHealth at sana ay bigyan po ninyo ng palugit (Balance it all first. Study it thoroughly and hopefully, this would not be a burden to the poor. PhilHealth is still capable and hopefully, it can give an extension)," he said during a recent visit to fire victims in Navotas City.
In a statement issued last month, PhilHealth assured that increase in contributions will help ease the burden of members in hospitalization and expand other benefits.
“PhilHealth assures all members that the legislated contribution schedule will continue to provide all Filipinos with adequate financial protection against hospitalization costs,” it said. (PNA)
