The PhilHealth Regional Office XII recently conducted four (4) batches of Social Health Insurance Education Series (SHInES) for its casual employees at the Villa Amor Hotel in the City of Koronadal.

The SHInES was initiated to deepen the casual employees’ positive reception as PhilHealth employees and to empower them as advocates of social health insurance.

“We had been in the service for how many years and yet, some of us are not familiar with the primary concept about this institution. This is an avenue for us to recheck our values, our priorities and our standards in projecting ourselves. We need to understand this in order to perform our duties with deeper sense. Make the most of your time in learning new insights and carry them along with you as you deal with daily transactions in the workplace and anywhere in the community. Bear in mind that your uniform and your shirts bear something and it means you bring with you the name of PhilHealth,” Regional Vice President, Dr. Miriam Grace G. Pamonag said.

SHInES for casuals included modules that reoriented personnel on the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP), its history, guiding principles, vision, mission, core values, powers and functions based on the amended Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 7875.

As an institution, PhilHealth traces its roots to the Medicare Program begun in the 1960’s. By virtue of House Bill 14225 and Senate Bill 1783 institutionalized through RA 7875 in 1995, and amended by RAs 9241 in 2004 and 10606 in 2013, PhilHealth today continues to prioritize the health care needs of indigents who comprise almost half of its membership count. It is known to exist based on the principles of universality, effectiveness, innovation, equity, social solidarity, quality service, care for indigents, among others.

What used to be a basic and simple health care program has now evolved into a program that covers complex and catastrophic cases, offering online transactions from enrolment, payment, to benefit availment process.

Management Services Division Chief, Merlie C. Sabug said that PRO XII started its regional operations in 1999 with more than 10 employees. Today, some 200 personnel comprise the regional workforce, serving the entire Region XII and other residents of the area who are now working abroad. “With more of its guiding principles on responsiveness and compulsory coverage, PhilHealth, without doubt, can achieve more and serve better,” Sabug said. (END) (Hanah G. Naanep)