The Migrante Middle East petition said, “The hike in OFWs health insurance premium will not only bleed us (OFWs and dependents) dry, it also sucks out our blood leading ‘to death due to deprivation of free and affordable social services’. The government through various agencies is killing us so softly by imposing additional fees in pretense of better social services.”
The Migrante Middle East is appealing to all fellow OFWs around the world, their dependents, friends and OFWs advocates to join their campaign by signing the petition and help pass it on to others and urge them to "Scrap Philippine Health Circular No. 022 – this is about the increase of PhilHealth annual premium contribution from P900 to P2,400 which will effect on July 1, 2012.
I searched out the names of the Board of Directors of PhilHealth and to know also if the said PhilHealth Circular No. 022 is approved by all the board of directors but unfortunately out of 14 members only one has affixed his signature to PhilHealth Circular No. 022 in the named of Dr. Eduardo P. Banzon and the other name who also signed her signature was not in the list or not in the list of Executive Officers. The PhilHealth Board of Directors are as follows:
- Board Chair: Hon. Enrique T. Ona, M.D.
- CSC Chairman: Hon. Francisco T. Duque III, M.D., MSc
- DILG Secretary: Hon. Jesse M. Robredo
- DSWD Secretary: Hon. Corazon J. Soliman
- DOLE Secretary: Hon. Rosalinda D. Baldoz
- Health Care Providers Sector: Hon. Juan M. Flavier, M.D.
- Labor Sector: Hon. Alexander A. Ayco, M.D.
- Employers Sector/President and Chief Executive Officer: Hon. Dr. Eduardo P. Banzon
- Self Employed Sector: Hon. Francisco Vicente F. Lopez M.D.
- SSS President & CEO: Hon. Emilio S. De Quiros, Jr.
- GSIS President & General Manager: Hon. Robert G. Vergara
- NAPC-BS Vice Chairman: Hon. Florencia P. Cabatingan
- Filipino Overseas Workers: Hon. Jane M.N. Sta. Ana
- Corporate Secretary: Atty. Genesis M. Adarlo
Obviously, the PhilHealth Circular No. 022 was created by two people in named of Dr. Eduardo P. Banzon and MA. TERESA A. QUIAGIT and approved by them without the approval of other Board Members and other Executive Officers of PhilHealth. It was created on December 15, 2011. The said circular is not only addressed to the 11 million+ OFWs around the world but also to all the Filipinos in Philippines. To read the said Circular No. 022 visit the link PhilHealth Circular No. 022.
The said PhilHealth Circular No. 022 is believed by Filipinos in Philippines including the 11 million+ OFWs as against the REPUBLIC ACT No. 10022 – AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8042, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE MIGRANT WORKERS AND OVERSEAS FILIPINOS ACT OF 1995, AS AMENDED, FURTHER IMPROVING THE STANDARD OF PROTECTION AND PROMOTION OF THE WELFARE OF MIGRANT WORKERS, THEIR FAMILIES AND OVERSEAS FILIPINOS IN DISTRESS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Under the RULE XVII: MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS – Section 4. Government Fees, Administrative Costs and Taxes. All fees for services being charged by any government agency on migrant workers prevailing at the time of the effectivity of this Rule shall not be increased. This RA No. 10022 was officially approved and signed by the former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on March 08, 2010.
The Migrante Middle East said “We are targeting 1-M signatures by July 2012, the supposed start of imposing PhilHealth premium of P2,400 from the current P900. With our position paper, we will send the signatures to President Noynoy Aquino and to the PhilHealth Board members, members of the Senate and House of Representatives.”
As of this writing there are already 502 Filipinos have joined the petition and yet still very far to 1-M target-ted signatures – so if you are Filipinos living in Philippines and Abroad you are hereby invited to join the said petition – go to this link No to PhilHealth Premium Increase Scrap Circular No. 022. And if possible share this call to your family, relatives, friends and friends of friends around the world!
To read my previous article visit Pruelpo Shares: The Largest Protest in History: No to SOPA and PIPA