CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) — In a bid to expand access to free medical consultations and medicines, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) Calabarzon aims to accredit 500 healthcare facilities by the end of 2026, under its Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP), bringing preventive healthcare services closer to residents across the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, and Quezon.
Dr. Edwin Orina, Acting Vice President of PhilHealth Region IV-A, said the region currently has 289 accredited YAKAP Clinics providing healthcare services to members. Despite the number, the facilities remain insufficient for nearly 11 million residents of the three provinces.
“Dito po sa Region IV-A [mayroong] at least 289 YAKAP providers. I assure you po, kulang po yung 289, kasi napakalaki po ng ating tatlong probinsya – Cavite, Laguna, and Quezon. At the same time, we have at least 10-11 million population, so maliit po yung 289,” Dr. Orina stated during an interview with the Philippine Information Agency.
He added that the PhilHealth aims to establish 500 YAKAP Clinics across the region and expand the number of Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (GAMOT) providers to serve more Filipinos, particularly its members, and ensure wider access to healthcare services, benefits, free medical care, and medicines.
“We’ve targeted na at least 500 YAKAP facilities ang makumpleto namin, ma-share together with the 289, and also we have at least 221 GAMOT Providers, so sabihin natin, konti pa rin yan kase remember yung YAKAP Provider tapos kukuha ka ng gamot dun sa 54 medicines, kailangan mo yung malapit din sayo na GAMOT Provider para hindi ka ba-biyahe ng malayo o ng other provinde to get it, so dapat taasan din natin yung mga GAMOT Providers natin,” Dr. Orina said.
PhilHealth has increased the consultation benefit under the YAKAP program to ₱1,700 per individual, for both public and private healthcare facilities. This is higher than the previous coverage to encourage greater utilization and improve access to affordable healthcare services.
Dr. Orina then emphasized that the program is not only for individuals experiencing health concerns but also for those who wish to regularly monitor their health status and consult with accredited healthcare facilities under the program, promoting preventive care and early detection of potential health conditions.
“Magpa-register po kayo sa Philhealth pero gamitin niyo po ang PhilHealth through YAKAP para mabantayan po ang kalusugan ninyo, because this is prevention rather than cure,” Orina stated.
Meanwhile, additional services that PhilHealth members can avail themselves of through YAKAP are dental and optometric, reinforcing its preventive healthcare approach by helping detect health risks before they develop into serious conditions.
The expansion of PhilHealth services is part of President Marcos administration’s directive to strengthen the country’s healthcare system by ensuring the delivery of more comprehensive, accessible, and inclusive health services for all Filipinos. (COP,ML/PIA CALABARZON)