On Wednesday, October 2, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, led another Senate hearing demanding action from PhilHealth on its unfulfilled promises. 

Go has been pushing for immediate reforms, emphasizing the need to fix outdated policies, expansion of benefits, increase case rates, lower premium contributions, provide free medicines, and also prioritize preventive care packages. 

The senator also welcomed the announcement of PhilHealth’s Board of Directors to officially scrap the Single Period of Confinement Policy, which had been in effect since 2013. 

The senator commended the scrapping of the policy saying, “Salamat naman po at finally ini-scrap niyo na, tinanggal niyo na itong single period of confinement policy,” he said. “Sulit po ang ating pangungulit at hindi po ako titigil na kukulitin kayo bilang Chairman po ng Committee on Health.”

He also proposed specific areas for expansion of PhilHealth benefits, including dental and optical care, which are currently lacking in PhilHealth’s coverage. Go shared a story about Filipinos in rural areas resorting to makeshift methods for dental care due to the lack of proper services.

“’Yung iba, sinulid ginagamit pantanggal ng ngipin sa bundok, sa bukid, sa amin, sa probinsya,” he said.

Go further challenged PhilHealth to be proactive in preventing illnesses rather than simply covering expensive treatments after worsen conditions. He noted that many Filipinos are afraid to seek medical care due to the potential cost, even though they are PhilHealth members.

“Marami po na mga kababayan nating Pilipino ang takot magpa-check up dahil wala pong pambayad, walang coverage ng PhilHealth,” Go said.

Citing studies on visual impairment and oral health in the Philippines, Go also proposed that PhilHealth should expand its benefits to include preventive measures such as regular eye check-ups and dental cleanings.

Throughout the hearing, Go was firm in holding PhilHealth accountable for the promises made in previous hearings. He reminded PhilHealth President and CEO Emmanuel Ledesma of the commitment to increase case rates by 50% by the end of November and to expand benefits such as dental care by December.

“Asahan po ninyo na tututukan po natin ito at hinding-hindi tayo papayag na mapako ang ipinangakong ito ng PhilHealth sa taumbayan. You are under oath when you delivered your promises to the people. And this Committee will hold you to your promise,” Go warned.

Go also brought up several policy suggestions aimed at expanding PhilHealth’s coverage and making healthcare more accessible to all Filipinos. One of the key reforms he advocated for was the inclusion of prescription glasses, wheelchairs, crutches, and other assistive devices under PhilHealth’s coverage.

He specifically noted that the current policy of requiring hospital admission for PhilHealth coverage is impractical and unrealistic. 

“Napapansin ko kailangan i-admit muna ng isang araw para i-cover ng PhilHealth. Mas gastos yun kasi magbabayad sila sa kwarto,” he explained, suggesting that outpatient services should also be covered by PhilHealth to reduce costs.

Additionally, Go pointed out the inadequacies in PhilHealth’s maternity care packages, where the current PhP8,000 coverage is far from the actual cost of around PhP40,000 for normal delivery. He called for increased benefits for treatments related to the top 10 leading causes of death in the Philippines, particularly heart disease, diabetes, and pneumonia.

Go also addressed gaps in healthcare coverage for serious illnesses, specifically advocating for expanded support for cancer patients. He proposed the inclusion of “wholeness treatment” for cancer patients, a comprehensive approach where multiple medical professionals work together to support a patient’s well-being.

“Isa pang polisiya na sana pag-aralan niyong mabuti, please lang PhilHealth… Isa lang po ito sa mga maraming sakit. Di naman po ako doktor pero common sense lang po yan. Dami pong sakit na pwede niyong tugunan. Dami pong sakit na pwede niyong tulungan na maisalba ang buhay ng Pilipino,” Go remarked.

Another major point discussed during the hearing was the need for a stronger information campaign to raise public awareness about the services PhilHealth offers. Go highlighted that many Filipinos are unaware that they are members of PhilHealth or do not fully understand the benefits available to them. 

“Yung iba nga po hindi nila alam, miyembro pala sila ng PhilHealth,” Go said, stressing the importance of making sure that all Filipinos are informed about the services offered by the government especially in terms of healthcare.

One of the more contentious topics discussed during the hearing was the management of PhilHealth’s funds. Go strongly opposed the transfer of Php89.8B excess funds to the national treasury, insisting that these funds should be used solely for healthcare purposes. 

“Kaya nga po tinututulan natin ang pag-transfer ng PhilHealth funds sa national treasury dahil ang PhilHealth po ay para sa health,” Go said, reinforcing that PhilHealth’s financial resources must be used directly to benefit the public and should not be held idle while people suffer.

He also questioned why PhilHealth was requesting additional subsidies for 2025 despite having substantial reserves.

In his closing remarks, Go did not mince words when it came to holding PhilHealth and other government agencies accountable for their promises.

“We must all act with an extreme sense of urgency kasi buhay po ang nakataya dito,” Go stated.

“Kailangan ng common sense po dito. Dapat may puso ka, may malasakit ka sa kapwa mo Pilipino,” he remarked.

Go also made it clear that the Senate hearings on these issues will continue as long as necessary to ensure that the concerns of the Filipino people are addressed.

“Tatlong hearing na po about PhilHealth… hindi po tayo titigil. Kung kailangan linggo-linggo,” Go said.

Given the absence of PhilHealth President Ledesma for health reasons, Go reminded PhilHealth officials that they are public servants entrusted with the health and well-being of millions of Filipinos.

“Please shape up, gamitin niyo po ang pondo ninyo para sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan. Pera po ng tao yan. Hindi niyo po pera yan,” he concluded.