Philhealth registers 25 million enrollees, says Sec. Ona

By Gideon C. Corgue

PAGADIAN CITY – Almost 25 million Filipinos in the country are enrolled and covered by the government’s universal health program.

This was announced by Health Secretary EnriqueT. Ona before a huge crowd of local chief executives,  government employees and Barangay Emergency Response Team (BERT) members during the 61^st anniversary program of Zamboanga del Sur on September 17 at the CYC Sports Complex, Provincial Government Center, Dao, this City.

Ona, the guest of honor and speaker said with the increased number of  Philhealth members, a poor Filipino can now be admitted to any government hospital.

Ona said the President, who has a great compassion for the poor, increased the number of membership of families to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) from 5.4 to 14.7 million. 

“President Benigno Simeon Aquino III has great compassion for the poor specially the poorest of the poor,  that is why he increased the number of  PhilHealth membership from 5.4 million families or an equivalent of 20-25 million Filipinos in 2013 to 14.7 million families or an equivalent of 50 million Filipinos in 2014,” Ona happily announced.

“The premium of poor people will be covered already by the national government,” Ona proudly said.

“With this development, I challenge the local chief executives of local government units to support the poor in their respective municipalities by enrolling them with PhilHealth,” Ona urged.

The DOH Secretary said the department  has applied the double-edged strategy to improve the health condition of the residents in the province.

“Obviously, the department applied the double-edged strategy to improve the health condition of our people. First, we improve the Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center by providing health facilities, and second, we enroll poor residents to Philhealth to cover admission to government hospitals,” the DOH chief said.

Ona said that for 2014, the DOH has allocated P164-M for health facilities of the province, and P55-M for Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center, while an additional P50-M is awaiting for the approval of the president.

In 2013, the department also allotted P156-M to subsidize the 137 facilities of rural health stations of the province,” Ona announced.

The department has intensified its preventive and promotive program to make sure that our poor people will remain healthy and strong. “A strong nation is propelled by its strong and healthy people,”  Secretary Ona concluded.   (PIA9)