Health Insurance for 35,500 Poor Caloocan Families January 21, 2011

ALMOST 35,500 less privileged families from all barangays in Caloocan City recently gathered at the Bulwagang Katipunan of Caloocan City Hall to receive their health insurance cards from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

Sponsored by the City Government, the health cards will entitle the recipients to PhilHealth benefits when confined in accredited hospitals even outside of Caloocan. This is in line with Mayor Enrico "Recom" Echiverri's program for indigent constituents for which the city government allotted P10M for the health insurance premium of Caloocan residents for this year.

"Isa itong programa ng pamahalaan natin at pipilitin nating maka-reach out sa lahat ng mga indigents, yung talagang walang-wala," said Echiverri who also stressed the responsibility of every recipient for his own health. "Walang sinumang dapat mangalaga sa inyong sarili kundi kayo, kaya huwag kayong aasa sa gobyerno. Kung may sakit ka, huwag mong antaying lumala. Pumunta ka kaagad sa pinakamalapit na health center." Echiverri also encouraged his constituents to join hands in promoting the PhilHealth's Sponsored Program. "Sa inyong lahat ka-barangayan at mga beneficiaries, tayo'y dapat magkaisa sa programang ito. Ang kahalagahan ng maayos na kalusugan ay hindi para sa gobyerno, kundi para sa inyo."

On hand to assist Echiverri in the distribution of Family Health Cards were PhilHealth officers Gregorio C. Rulloda, Area Vice President for North Luzon and NCR; Leticia P. Portugal, Branch Manager, NCR North; and Araceli Aguilar, Caloocan City Service Office Chief, together with Ricojudge Janvier (RJ) Echiverri, National President, Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas and the Barangay Captains from recipient barangays.

In his brief message, Rulloda congratulated the City of Caloocan for being one of the Local Government Units (LGUs) to achieve universal coverage and the first city to enroll with PhilHealth all those listed in the National Household Targetting Sytem (NHTS) of the Department of Social welfare and Development (DSWD).

Rulloda posed this challenge to the City government: "Isang hamon po ito sa inyong pamahalaan, sana po ang inyong mga retirees at pensioners ay i-enrol natin sa NHIP, sa Lifetime Member Program para hindi na po sila maging dependent ng kanilang mga anak dahil libre naman po ang membership nito."

He also encouraged employers to regularly pay their employees' premium contributions. "Isang hamon pa rin po para sa universal coverage, ay ang ma-ensure ng pamahalaang lokal na lahat ng mga employers dito sa Caloocan, ay mai-enrol lahat ang kanilang mga empleyado sa NHIP" as one of the requirements in the application for business renewal.

Rulloda also called for the accreditation of all the Health Centers in Caloocan "Hinahamon ko rin po ang pamahalaang lungsod ng Caloocan na maipa-accredit na ang inyong rural health units dahil mayroon pa rin pong benepisyong tinatawag na Out-Patient Benefit Package (OBP) para sa ating mga miyembro". In accordance with the OPB guidelines, he added that "...doon naman po sa ibabayad ninyong P 600 sa PhilHealth ay may babalik na P300 kada pamilya na makakatulong sa inyong pangangailangan sa RHUs," he explained.

Finally Rulloda challenged the City Government to continue its partnership with PhilHealth to ensure the delivery of continuous quality service to its members and emphasized PhilHealth's dependability in times of need. "Ang PhilHealth po ay nandirito anumang oras dahil 'your satisfaction is our fulfillment'."

RJ Echiverri, the President of the National Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas readily accepted Rulloda's challenge of accrediting the Barangay Health Centers in the locality and dared his colleagues "My challenge to my fellow barangay captains... I hope you could find time to build your own Barangay Health Centers so that PhilHealth can help us in maintaining it. Aminin po natin na isa sa pinakamalaking problema ng barangay ay ang patungkol sa kalusugan. So mas maganda po kung ito ay mapag-aaralan natin, at magawan ng paraan."

Echiverri also assured PhilHealth of the support of the National Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas for this endeavor. (Documentation by Emelita M. Retuta, Juanito G. Pineda and Eugenio D. Padilla, Jr.)