Iloilo City: Around 4,000 non-plantilla employees of the local government here can now have access to social health insurance following the signing of a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) Regional Health Office in Western Visayas (PhilHealth VI). According to Philippines News Agency, the mandatory coverage will benefit personnel and direct hires under project-based, job order, and contract of service status through the group enrollment program of the National Health Insurance Program. The agreement was signed by Mayor Jerry Treñas and Administrator Melchor Tan for Iloilo City, and acting Regional Vice President Larry Tabsing and Field Operations Division Chief Junie Sabusap for PhilHealth. Under the agreement, the city government will facilitate the registration of the proposed enrollees, conduct regular information and education campaigns, remit premium contributions of enrollees, and assume sole responsibility if it fails to remit the prescribed premium c ontributions under the program. Treñas stated that their enrollment with PhilHealth will provide them protection and access to Universal Health Care (UHC) services and benefits. 'This will not only cover them but also their dependents,' he remarked during the agreement signing at the city mayor's office. Additionally, their salary has been increased from PHP450 to PHP580 a day, with a certain amount to be deducted from their daily salary to cover their PhilHealth contribution. Treñas mentioned that incoming Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu wanted them enrolled with PhilHealth effective July. Meanwhile, Tabsing expressed satisfaction with the decision of the city government to enroll their job hires, such as traffic enforcers who are frequently exposed to the elements due to the nature of their work. 'This is timely with the increased benefits of PhilHealth. Under the Universal Health Care Law, we already have preventive measures unlike before when it was only good for confinement,' he explained. The UHC includes the Konsulta Package, offering 15 diagnostic procedures and 21 classifications of maintenance medicines from accredited providers. PhilHealth also plans to make Iloilo City a model for other local government units to emulate.