The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) capped 2015 with its Social Health Insurance Education Series (SHInES) at the Elizabeth Hotel in Baguio City. At least thirty (30) participants from several government agencies, media outfits and the academe from the Region actively engaged with PhilHealth in the learning activity.

The SHInES was set off by PhilHealth Senior Vice President, Melinda C. Mercado who acknowledged the attendance of all the participants and reminded them of their significant roles as advocates of social health insurance. Mercado emphasized that “correct information and appropriate use will definitely play a very major role in the implementation and life extension of the one and only health insurance in the country.”

Among those who attended the event were representatives from DZEQ, DZWT and Bombo Radyo. Also present were representatives from various academic institutions such as Saint Louis University, University of the Philippines -Baguio, University of the Cordillera and Baguio State University; as well as government agencies such as the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Commission On Audit (COA), Social Security System (SSS), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) and LGU-Mangkayan.

The SHInES for media, government information officers and the academe aims to further educate them on the various aspects of social health insurance to ensure that they deliver accurate information to the public. It also seeks to provide comprehensive and relevant information as well as updates on new policies issued by the Corporation. The Program also serves as an effective launching pad in introducing PhilHealth’s new advances in program implementation and enhanced benefits for its members.

Anna Sapangan of the University of Cordillera shared how PhilHealth eased her financial burden when she gave birth. “Napakalaking tulong ng PhilHealth sa ‘kin lalo na at na-Caesarian ako”, she said. She promised to be an active advocate of the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) to further extend the valuable social health insurance mandate to those who need health security.

Atty. Materno Luspian, the Mayor of Mangkayan, Benguet who is an advocate of maternal healthcare, proudly shared that at least 7,000 of his constituents are already enrolled in the NHIP. He announced that among the LGUs in the Cordillera, Mangkayan is the first accredited collecting agent of PhilHealth. According to Luspian, “health should be everybody’s concern.” He has been a faithful supporter and active advocate of PhilHealth since his return to his political career in 2010.

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The SHInES, organized by PhilHealth’s Social Health Insurance Academy (SHIA) in collaboration with PhilHealth Regional Office in the Cordillera Administrative Region, featured informative lectures from PhilHealth officers. RVP for CAR, Dr. Elizabeth Fernandez welcomed the participants to the learning activity. OIC-Vice President for Member Management Group (MMG), Alberto Manduriao discussed the PhilHealth Membership Programs and Policies while OIC-Vice President for Corporate Affairs Group Dr. Israel Francis A. Pargas talked about the New and Enhanced PhilHealth Benefits. Arsenia Torres, Senior Manager of the SHIA, tackled the National Health Insurance Act of 2013 while Maria Sophia Varlez, Senior Manager of the Corporate Communication Department, discussed how media can effectively advocate the NHIP.

A testament to the success of the SHInES in its comprehensive and informative content is the fact that there were minimal questions raised after all the discussions and presentations. One positive remark was made by Isaias Baruman of OSCA who lauded the PhilHealth Management on how it handled the issue on cararact fraud by unscrupulous healthcare providers and professionals. Pargas welcomed the encouraging commendation and assured him that PhilHealth will continuously implement stricter measures in curtailing and effectively preventing medical fraud.

The SHInES in Baguio City is the 20th session since it started in 2012 and the last for 2015. (END) (Dahlia D. Benedicto)