The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the International Care Ministries Foundation, Inc. (ICMFI) to provide health insurance coverage to ultra-poor communities in Visayas and Mindanao. The signing ceremony was held at PhilHealth's Head Office in Pasig City between PhilHealth President and CEO Alexander A. Padilla and ICMFI Chairman of the Board David Sutherland.

According to the International Care Ministries 2015-2016 Annual Report, seven million Filipinos are living on less than $0.50 (Php22) a day, which is less than half of the $1.25 (Php55) benchmark of World Bank for extreme poverty. They live in inadequate, crowded shelters, and suffer from chronic hunger and malnutrition. With insufficient knowledge in basic health that could easily prevent illness, they also lack access to clean water, and proper sanitation making them highly prone to many types of diseases and illnesses.

Through this MOA, the beneficiaries of ICMFI shall be provided with up-to-date information, education and communication activities on policies, rules and regulations relative to their needed health program benefits, health availment procedures, and rights and obligations as member-beneficiaries.

A total of 10,000 certified applicants on a per batch basis living in different barangays within the 977 municipalities in the four regions of Vis-Min shall be endorsed by the ICMFI to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for possible inclusion in the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction list or 'Listahanan' (Listahan ng mga Pamilyang Nangangailangan). Those included in the Listahanan as endorsed by the DSWD to PhilHealth shall be enrolled in the program.

In his short message, Padilla emphasized the importance of identifying the poorest of the poor in the country to be covered through a large portion of the sin taxes towards the attainment of universal coverage. Sutherland said "I think the MOA with PhilHealth will allow us to bring the resources of the government, particularly health benefits, to many poor people in the Philippines."

The ICMFI is a non-stock, non-profit organization whose initiatives are specifically designed to meet the needs of ultra-poor households in the Philippines through better health, renewed hope and improved sources of income. (END) (Pedro D. Abella)