Tacloban city: The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) regional office here is optimistic that more members will register under the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. highlighted the initiative during his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA).
According to Philippines News Agency, Acisclo Militante Jr., chief of the PhilHealth Eastern Visayas Field Operations Division, stated that about 1.7 million members in the region have been registered under YAKAP, representing the majority of the 2.01 million PhilHealth members targeted for the program this year. Militante emphasized that the President's mention of the program during the SONA has increased public awareness and served as a significant milestone in enhancing health-seeking behavior among Filipinos.
The region has recorded 299,000 first patient encounters out of the 670,000 target for this year. Under YAKAP, the first patient encounter involves an initial face-to-face medical screening and registration process that includes identity verification, health history data collection, and a physical assessment by a doctor.
Additionally, the program has accredited 380 healthcare facilities in the region, including 134 rural health units and 246 hospitals and clinics. During his SONA, President Marcos emphasized the administration's focus on preventive healthcare through PhilHealth's YAKAP program, in collaboration with the Department of Health.
President Marcos stated, "Being prepared is better than just working hard. That is the goal of our YAKAP Program: to protect Filipinos from illness and address potential health conditions before they become serious." He also expressed the government's intention to expand YAKAP coverage by accrediting more clinics, thereby giving Filipinos greater access to preventive health services and more healthcare providers to choose from.
Moreover, the government plans to expand the related GAMOT (Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment) program. This initiative allows PhilHealth members to obtain essential medicines from more than 2,000 accredited providers, with an annual benefit limit of PHP20,000 per member. The program covers 75 essential medicines, including antibiotics and drugs for asthma, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, cough, fever, and other common illnesses.
As of July, PhilHealth has listed 144 drugstores in Eastern Visayas as accredited GAMOT providers.
