RESIDENTS of Parañaque need not leave the city to seek help on their concerns with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) - the national health insurer recently opened its Local Health Insurance Office (LHIO) within the second district of the Mega City by the Bay.

The LHIO Parañaque is located at the HRDC Building, Km. 16 along South Super Highway corner ACSIE Road, Severina Industrial Estate, West Service Road, Barangay Marcelo Green. It is accessible by public transport, and is just across Waltermart Bicutan.

In his message, Ruben John A. Basa, PhilHealth Officer-in-charge, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer said that “the more offices we have, the better,” adding that “our members would still like to go to our offices where they feel at home, because PhilHealth, after all, is their partner in health.”

The PhilHealth NCR is the biggest region in terms of scope, but Basa said that “despite the size, the brand of excellence na ipinapakita ng NCR continues to shine.” He added that the NCR’s LHIOs have posted 100 percent excellent rating in terms of compliance to the Anti-Red Tape Act and that “this is the brand of service that PhilHealth offers, not only in NCR but nationwide.”

In welcoming guests to the opening ceremony, Dennis S. Mas, PhilHealth Regional Vice President in the NCR said that the move to open the LHIO in Parañaque City was to “make services more accessible” to members. He noted that with this new office, PhilHealth members from Parañaque City need not go to the LHIOs in Las Piñas, Pasig, or Makati for their PhilHealth concerns.

The new LHIO is expecting at least 500 clients everyday including employer representatives who have premium remittance and reporting concerns; hospital representatives who need to submit claim reimbursement documents; individual members who may need to update their PhilHealth records or request for identification cards, and other stakeholders.

Dr. Bernadette Lico, PhilHealth NCR South Branch Manager shared that efforts to establish the LHIO Parañaque started in 2007 and that today’s occasion “demonstrates PhilHealth’s commitment to be closer to clients, members and health care providers…to hasten the goal of achieving universal health coverage.” She added that this initiative will enable them to better serve the people of Parañaque and contribute to the “development of an effective, efficient and sustainable health insurance sector.”

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The LHIO Parañaque team, led by Golda Ajero, will be catering to PhilHealth stakeholders in the Southern end of the metropolis where manufacturing, marketing, property development, logistics and forwarding companies abound.

Also present during the inauguration ceremony were Rep. Gustavo Tambunting (2nd Dist., Parañaque), Dr. Jeremiah Chan of the Department of Health, Dr. Ephraim Ortega, Medical Director of Ospital ng Parañaque, Dr. Rustico Jimenez, Medical Director of Medical Center Parañaque, and guests from various government agency-partners such as the Civil Service Commission, Social Security System, Government Service Insurance System and the Commission on Audit.

PhilHealth Board Member Dr. Hildegardes Dineros also attended the inauguration ceremony. Also present during the occasion were Dr. Raul Quillamor, Head Executive Staff of the Office of the PhilHealth Chairperson, and PhilHealth officers Dr. Shirley B. Domingo, OIC-Senior Vice President for Management Services; Dr. Clementine Bautista, Vice President for Corporate Planning and Organizational Systems Development Office; Dr. Israel Francis A. Pargas, Head Executive Assistant and Concurrent OIC-Vice President for Corporate Affairs; Lourdes Diocson, Region VI Vice President; and Mario Matanguihan, Senior Manager for Physical Resources and Infrastructure Department. NCR Branch Managers Dr. Cynthia Camacho (NCR North) and Cheryl Peña (NCR Central), as well as the NCR LHIO Heads also witnessed the official opening of the LHIO. (END) (Photos by Jose Mari Sanvicente)