ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE FOR ALL. PhilHealth Senior Manager Mr. Rey Balena underscored that with the passage of Universal Healthcare Law, PhilHealth is working even harder to ensure access to healthcare and financial assistance for Filipinos, including the former rebels and their dependents.

Almost 22,000 former rebels have been enrolled in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) through the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA), in the government’s bid to secure the health and well-being of those who had decided to return to the fold of the law and start their lives anew.

Mr. Rey Balena, Senior Manager of the Corporate Communications Department of PhilHealth, said during his interview on “Balik-Loob sa Pagbabago,” a Task Force Balik-Loob radio-television program, explained that as the government agency that gives financial assistance and protection to all those are in need of medical attention, PhilHealth endeavors to ensure that Filipinos will not have a difficult time accessing healthcare, especially with the passage of the Universal Healthcare Law in the country. 

The PhilHealth executive reported that former rebels who are now members of PhilHealth through the PAMANA Program of the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Peace Process (OPAPP) are eligible for the health benefits that are programmed for them and for their families. “Itong 22,000 na ito ay mga former rebels palang. Hindi pa kasama ang qualified dependents dito. The number of the people who are utilizing the benefits could be bigger,” Mr. Balena said.

Of the said beneficiaries under PAMANA, 1,647 former rebels are from the communist terrorist group (CTG), while the rest of the 22,000 are returnees from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/ Revolutionary Proletarian Army/ Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB) former rebels.

“Makaaasa ang ating mga former rebels na hindi titigil ang PhilHealth para pagbutihin ang ating financial protection para sa lahat. Ang amin lamang pong hiling ay wag na kayo mag dalawang-isip na magpa-ospital sapagkat mayroon pong PhilHealth na tutulong po sa inyo,” he said.