Manila: Around 217 health facilities in Eastern Visayas have been accredited as Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) clinics, providing free consultation and laboratory services, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) regional office here reported on Monday.
According to Philippines News Agency, as of August 2025, 80 of the accredited clinics are in Leyte, 36 in Samar, 34 in Eastern Samar, 32 in Northern Samar, 25 in Southern Leyte, and 10 in Biliran province. Acisclo Militante Jr., chief of the PhilHealth Eastern Visayas field operations division, said they are working to enlist more accredited health service providers under the program launched by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 25, 2025.
Militante emphasized the importance of YAKAP in encouraging more Filipinos to seek consultation and prevent serious illnesses. He stated, "We are banking so much on YAKAP to encourage more Filipinos to seek consultation and prevent serious illnesses. This is a program that proactively cares for you and your family, bringing peace of mind and a future free from worries."
As of July 2025, approximately 1,837,450 PhilHealth members have registered for YAKAP to avail of the free consultations, medication, basic laboratory services, and vital cancer screenings. PhilHealth regional information officer Miramar Palacio clarified that only those with PhilHealth membership numbers and their dependents are eligible to avail the program.
Palacio stated, "We want to clarify that the YAKAP registration is different from PhilHealth membership registration. All PhilHealth members must register to avail the benefits under YAKAP." The registration process can be done through the eGov app, the PhilHealth member portal, PhilHealth offices, or directly at a YAKAP clinic.
Palacio further added, "Your journey to wellness begins with a First Patient Encounter (FPE). A physician will guide each patient through a comprehensive health screening so we can work together to create a personalized health plan." Under YAKAP, PhilHealth has also selected up to 75 essential medicines, offering benefits up to PHP20,000 per year to ensure that medicine costs do not burden patients.
Militante mentioned that negotiations are ongoing with pharmacies in the region to partner in the provision of free medicines.
