QUEZON CITY (PIA) — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed government agencies and local government units to mobilize barangay health workers and intensify community outreach to ensure more Filipinos benefit from PhilHealth’s P20,000 annual medicine coverage.
During a meeting with the Private Sector Advisory Council’s (PSAC) Healthcare Sector Group in Malacañang, the President expressed concern that many Filipinos registered under the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) have yet to avail themselves of the GAMOT medicine benefit.
To bridge the gap between registration and actual delivery, President Marcos tasked PhilHealth and the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) to spearhead a grassroots-driven public information campaign.
The directive leverages community-level networks by engaging LGUs, barangay health workers, and diverse media platforms to proactively deliver health literacy directly to communities rather than relying on patients to seek assistance.
PhilHealth Acting President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Beverly Ho previously emphasized that investments in health should lead to meaningful and sustainable gains at the community level.
Expanding on this vision, Dr. Ho noted that LGUs must look beyond managing public health facilities to actively spearhead the integration of their local health systems, maximizing financial support from both PhilHealth and the Department of Health (DOH).
Describing PhilHealth’s YAKAP as a gateway to province- and city-wide health networks, Dr. Ho urged local chief executives to drive tangible improvements for their constituents by accelerating YAKAP empanelment to chosen local facilities.
She further reaffirmed that PhilHealth, in close collaboration with the DOH, remains committed to supporting LGUs through the nationwide rollout of the enhanced YAKAP and GAMOT programs.
Tackling FDA backlog and streamlining services
Beyond expanding health benefit outreach, the administration is pushing for regulatory reforms to bolster the country’s healthcare supply chain. During the same meeting, newly appointed Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director General Margarita Gutierrez committed to clearing the agency’s pending applications within one year.
To achieve this target, the FDA plans to recruit 125 additional evaluators and five systems analysts to resolve processing bottlenecks, particularly backlog applications still handled through manual processes.
Complementing these efforts, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) proposed integrating government contribution payments into the eGov Superapp to further streamline healthcare services. Additionally, a regulatory sandbox for pharmacies is slated for pilot implementation in November to test innovative improvements in retail pharmacy services.
Altogether, the President’s directives underscore a unified push to ensure that government-funded healthcare programs translate into tangible, accessible medicines and services toward easing the financial burdens of Filipino families struggling with medical expenses. (JMP/PIA-NCR)
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