“ECOP is mandated to represent the employers doing business in the country on labor and social policy issues with the end in view of attaining industrial peace, social harmony, and national prosperity.”
A principle in sync with the fast-paced improvements of the country’s economy as evident in the 2015 Index of Economic Freedom, an annual global survey conducted by Heritage Foundation. According to the US-based foundation, the Philippines ranked 76th among 178 countries in terms of “economic freedom” by having an average annual economic growth of more than 6% the past five years.
The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) prides itself in constantly enhancing professional and ethical management standards for effective labor-management relations, formulating and recommending policies to deal with issues affecting intra-corporate affairs, and assisting employers in continuously improving productivity and competitiveness.
The ECOP recently held its 19th members’ general meeting at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Global City, Taguig. The event themed “SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and ECC: Dialogue with their CEOs” provided just the perfect setting for the invited government chiefs to showcase updates in the operations of their respective agencies which are in tone with ECOP’s thrust.
Atty. Darlene Marie Berberabe, President and CEO of Pag-IBIG, kicked things off by presenting her agency’s status report and the services it offers. At the conclusion of her presentation, the audience already understood that Pag-IBIG is more than a government entity limited to handing out housing loans.
The Social Security System (SSS) followed suit by supplying the listeners with a list of its accomplishments and an assortment of programs dedicated to serve its members to the fullest. The SSS was represented by George Ongkeko, Jr., Senior Vice President and Chief of Actuary.
Third to take the stage was the Executive Director of Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC), Stella Z. Banawis. She highlighted the increase in benefits dispensed by ECC on a yearly basis. A comparative chart revealed the improved assistance available to employees.
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) President and CEO Alexander A. Padilla was the last to face the attendees. In great detail, Padilla presented the vast improvements in the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP).
In nine words, PhilHealth summed up its essence, “Bawat Pilipino Miyembro, Bawat Miyembro Protektado, Kalusugan Natin Segurado”. This maxim is being held true by PhilHealth at a very minimal cost. The corporation only takes away 2.5 percent of an employee’s basic salary as premium, requires employers to remit their counterpart share in the premium, and puts it into good use by blanketing members with extensive social health insurance coverage.
At the end of 2015, the number of Filipinos whom PhilHealth shields against economic volatility when confronted by health quandaries now stands at 93.4 million. These are individuals coming from all walks of life who, in PhilHealth’s viewpoint, should not be burdened by the costs entailed when seeking proper attention in the management and treatment of their infirmities.
Despite its efforts, the government still faces obstacles in enlisting all the poor into the NHIP. Hence, PhilHealth devised the Point-of-Care Program (POC) to enroll non-members belonging to socioeconomic classes C-3 and D being treated in government hospitals. “The minute that they are enrolled or the minute that their contributions are paid for, immediate na ang kanilang availment [of benefits],” the PhilHealth chief reiterated. Their PhilHealth benefits shall also be extended to their respective qualified dependents.
Padilla acknowledged a challenge in properly implementing the NHIP, “Meron ka ngang PhilHealth coverage pero wala ka namang mapuntahang ospital.” Now, with the total number of PhilHealth-accredited institutional health care providers reaching 1,887, it seems impossible to overlook PhilHealth’s presence. Similarly, the accredited professional health care providers nationwide grew to 34,376.
On the subject of benefit payout, Padilla said that PhilHealth paid P97.034 billion or a weekly average of P1.8B in 2015. The sum overshadowed the figure recorded by PhilHealth in 2014 which was P78B. This statistic gauges the corporation’s consistency in improving its coverage to illnesses, with benefit payments almost tripled in the last five years.
The subject of benefit payout opened up the issue of PhilHealth’s fund stability. “While we collected around P96B in premiums last year and paid P97B for benefits, we have a reserve fund of P128B.” Based on that, he told everyone that PhilHealth would still be in existence for 128 years even if it were to incur a yearly loss of P1B. “Our investments put us up by another P4.5B which put us well within the reserve limit set by the government,” Padilla added.
The PhilHealth leader also touched base with important topics such as the No Balance Billing (NBB) policy, Z benefits, and the All Case Rate (ACR) payment scheme. All of these were set into motion in order to present PhilHealth members with comprehensive health care insurance coverage which is readily obtainable should they need it.
Padilla appealed to the attending employers to register their employees, remit and report their contributions, and to actively seek out updates on the NHIP to realize the importance of PhilHealth.
“Universal Health Care is for every Filipino. Let us make every registered member actually count,” the PhilHealth President and CEO closed.
After the presentations, the agency heads answered questions fielded by the audience. This proved to be a display of the government’s steadfast support to the undertakings of ECOP as the chiefs offered clarification on issues concerning the interests of the attendees, further empowering them.
The government and ECOP are in unison to significantly enhance labor-management relations by putting up a setting fit to accommodate economic advancement structured upon integrity and perseverance. (END) (JJ Rico)