Rep. Ron Salo of Kabayan party-list called on the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to assign personnel to Philippine Embassies abroad to provide immediate and accessible services to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
Salo made the statement following consultations he had with OFWs in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Hong Kong, and other countries.
During the consultations, Salo said the OFWs informed him that while PhilHealth is “efficient in collecting membership fees,” it lacks a presence abroad which contributes to OFW’s struggle in availing of the benefits due to them.
“PhilHealth’s collection system is highly efficient, which we commend. However, the availment of services for OFWs needs improvement,” Salo stated.
“Our OFWs, who contribute significantly to the country’s economy through remittances, deserve more accessible health services, including immediate processing of claims. We have agencies like the DFA, DMW, OWWA, Pag-IBIG, and SSS present in our embassies and consulates, but sadly, PhilHealth is missing,” Salo added.
Salo also appealed to the PhilHealth Board of Directors to assign attachés or personnel in countries with large OFW populations, such as the Middle East (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman), Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Italy, to address OFWs’ healthcare needs promptly.
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