Who Are the 4,000 Iloilo City Workers Now Covered by PhilHealth, and What Benefits Will They Get?

Approximately 4,000 non-plantilla employees in Iloilo City are covered under the health scheme. This covers project-based, job order and contract service workers. They will be newly registered with PhilHealth through a group coverage agreement of the city government and PhilHealth Western Visayas, as well as other workers, including traffic enforcers and other essential personnel not in regular plantilla.

What prompted the programme, and when will it begin?

In June, Mayor Jerry Trenas and PhilHealth officials signed a Memorandum of Agreement. Mayor-elect Raisa Trenas Chu said she is aiming to start enrolment of workers by July 2025 to get these workers onto social health insurance as soon as possible.

What benefits will the workers be entitled to?

With the compulsory group registration to the National Health Insurance Programme, workers and their dependents will be provided with universal health coverage that includes hospitalisation and the expanded Konsulta Package, which provides outpatient services, 15 diagnostic tests and 21 maintenance medications in accredited facilities. In earlier versions, coverage was given for confinement-only benefits.

How will PhilHealth and Iloilo City do this?

The city will manage the enrolment process, educational campaigns and remittance of premiums. Daily wages have been raised from PHP 450 to PHP 580, and a share has been deducted for the PhilHealth premiums. The city is committed to making the payment if the deductions are not remitted on time.

PhilHealth 6 stressed that this step protects outdoor workers such as traffic enforcers and increases the availability of preventive care. The programme makes Iloilo City an exemplary LGU, which may lead other LGUs to extend the coverage to non-plantilla employees.

Through the enrolment of these 4,000 important but disregarded employees, Iloilo City increases public health equity and strengthens their commitment to universal health care.