Iloilo city: The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has introduced the YAKAP (Yaman nga Kalusugan Program) para sa Manggagawa: Yakap sa Pamilyang Pilipino at Robinsons Place in the Jaro district, marking the occasion of Labor Day with a significant initiative aimed at supporting workers' health and well-being.

According to Philippines News Agency, the program was initiated simultaneously across eight sites in the Western Visayas region as part of a nationwide launch. This approach was designed to increase awareness and encourage more Filipinos to take advantage of the YAKAP program. Junie Sabusap, PhilHealth Western Visayas Field Operations Division Head, emphasized the importance of the initiative in providing health security and assurance to workers. Sabusap expressed that the program embodies the government's commitment to offering accessible and reliable healthcare services.

The YAKAP program offers registered members and their dependents access to free primary care consultations, preventive health services, selected laboratory tests, and essential medicines. During the launch event, it was reported that over 160 government and private sector workers utilized the on-site assistance, exceeding the initial target of 129 participants.

As of February 28, more than 1.41 million members and dependents have registered with YAKAP in Western Visayas and Negros Occidental, representing 17.25 percent of the projected 8.2 million population in these regions. The program has accredited a total of 209 YAKAP clinics, 69 providers for the Guaranteed and Accessible Medication for Outpatient Treatment (GAMOT), 740 physicians, and 15 cancer screening facilities.

GAMOT, a significant component of YAKAP, provides members with up to PHP20,000 worth of outpatient medicines annually, covering 75 essential medicines prescribed by accredited YAKAP clinics.