Senator Bong supported the proposed amendments to Republic Act No. 11223, or the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act, with a focus on revising the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) premium contributions to alleviate the financial strain on Filipinos, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Go expressed his support to Senator JV Ejercito, vice chair of the Senate Health Committee and principal sponsor of the Universal Healthcare Act during the 17th Congress, who also sponsored the proposed amendment to the UHC Law in the plenary session recently.
The UHC Act is originally mandated to increase the premium contribution rates until 2025 to ensure PhilHealth’s financial health. However, the legislator highlighted the unforeseen impact of the pandemic and the economic crisis it precipitated.
“Mr. Chair, alam naman po natin na hindi natin inasahan ang nangyaring pandemya at krisis na pinagdaanan natin. I am certain that when the 17th Congress included in the law the premium rate increases, no one in this Chamber knew what was about to hit us,” the lawmaker said.
The senator’s concerns reflect the difficulties many Filipinos face, including job losses, business closures, and the daily struggles of ordinary citizens weighing the importance of additional contributions against their families’ basic needs.
“Nararapat lang na rebyuhin ulit ang mga tinakdang pagtaas sa kontribusyon sa PhilHealth para makatulong tayo sa pag-recover ng ating mga kababayan mula sa pandemya.”
“Kaya po sa tingin ko, nararapat lang na rebyuhin ulit ang mga tinakdang pagtaas sa kontribusyon sa PhilHealth para makatulong tayo sa pag-recover ng ating mga kababayan mula sa pandemya. Marami ang nawalan ng trabaho at marami ang nagsarang mga negosyo,” he remarked.
“Sa mga ordinaryong mamamayang araw-araw na nakikipagsapalaran, ano ba ang mas mahalaga sa kanila? Ang dagdag na kontribusyon o yung mga pangunahing pangangailangan ng kanilang pamilya? Bawat piso po ay napakahalaga sa mga kababayan nating daily wage earners, mga mahihirap,” Go added.
He said that most people, especially individually paying members like our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), cannot afford to pay the mandated premium increase.
Go recounted the collective call to the Executive Department, led by then-president Rodrigo Duterte in 2021, to suspend the increases in PhilHealth premiums.
“Similarly, former president Duterte previously decided to make contributions voluntary for our migrant workers or OFWs,” he said.
“Kaya naman po tayo, bilang mga representante ng mga mamamayang Pilipino, obligasyon po nating makinig sa kanilang hinaing, ang magmalakasakit sa kanila at gawin ang lahat maibsan lang ang bigat na kanilang dinadala sa araw-araw. In this time, every single peso counts,” Go emphasized.
The proposed amendments aim to introduce a new premium scale, reducing PhilHealth premiums from 2024 to 2027. A noteworthy provision in the bill is the requirement for the national government to cover fifty percent of the premium contributions for migrant workers, ensuring that the inability to pay premiums will not hinder the issuance of overseas employment certificates–a crucial document for Filipinos working abroad.
“Karamihan po ng mga OFWs natin, umaasa ng dagdag na tulong mula sa gobyerno lalo na ‘yung mga nawalan ng trabaho o naapektuhan ang kanilang kabuhayan sa ibang bansa dahil sa pandemya. Hindi naman po tama na sa panahong walang-wala sila, doon pa natin sila sisingilin ng dagdag na kontribusyon,” he said.
Ending his speech, Go underscored the injustice of imposing additional financial burdens on those already facing significant hardships, advocating for the government to extend every possible relief as the country recovers.
“Lahat ng palugit na pwede natin maibigay habang tayo ay nagre-recover pa, ibigay na po natin.”
“Lahat ng palugit na pwede natin maibigay habang tayo ay nagre-recover pa, ibigay na po natin. Balansehin lang natin ito para hindi rin naman mailagay sa alanganin ang kabuuang pondong pangkalusugan na makakatulong sa mas maraming Pilipino,” he stressed.
Go was one of the authors and co-sponsors of Republic Act No. 11641 that created the Department of Migrant Workers.
He also principally sponsored and authored the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019 to streamline access to medical assistance programs of the government in support also of the implementation of the UHC Law.
