Belatrmino Dabalos Saguing
Rome, Italy 16/03/2014
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| Photo: Pher Pasion, Pinoy Weekly |
The
latest petition against Philhealth premium increase after the Kilusang Mayo Uno
( KMU) and Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) last January was saubmitted by the world-wide alliance of
Ofws Migrante International which includes Migrante Sectoral Party and United
Filipinos in Hong Kongh (UNIFIL-HK) asking for the issuance of TRO to stop
Philhealth 160% premium hike.
According
to Migrante and other’s petition, the Phlhealth premium hikes were in contravention
of RA 8042 otherwise called the Migrant’s Act of 1995 as amended by RA 1002. The
petitioners hit the absence of consultations with affected parties and the
arbitrary impostation of fee increases. It also stressed the the premium
increase is unjust for the Ofws.
What
is really hard to understand is why are Ofws being obliged to pay Philhealth
when the hospitals thast attends tp their health needs in foreign countries are
not even accxredited by Phjilhealth since they are within their jurisdiction.
Garry
Martinez, Chairman of Migrante, explained that, firstly, recruiting agencies
has begun exacting the premium fee increase from Ofws even without any memo
from the POEA, secondly, it must not be mandatory. The majority of Ofws have
already health insurance being paid by their employers, as mandated by the laws
in receiving countries. Also, they are being obliged to pay the OWWA fee which
includes health insurance. Obliging the Ofws to pay the Philhealth ius repetitive
payment for a service which is supposed to be for free, thus rendering the
migrant workers cashcows of the government.
The
government was saying that ”Ofws should be thankful that they do not have to
use Philhealth because they don’t get sick and they are helping their fellow workers
who do.” There is no problem with the
helping. The problem there is that Philhealth itself is the source of
corruption, explained Martinez.
It
must be remembered that lately, Philhealth gave its employees and officials
incentive pay or bonuses totaling to P1.6B while the paying members cannot even
properly avail of the services when they need it.
Of course, the family of workers and Ofws may use the services of Pilhealth, but what is not right is making it mandatory. It could be considered legal heist or a clear extortion on departing Ofws who has not even started earning something.
Of course, the family of workers and Ofws may use the services of Pilhealth, but what is not right is making it mandatory. It could be considered legal heist or a clear extortion on departing Ofws who has not even started earning something.
The
Ofws has already done their part in the creation of wealth for the nation. They
have sent a prodigious amount in more than US$20 of billion in remittances, is it not enough that Ofws still has to suffer more?
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