Filipinos battling the coronavirus infection will be getting additional health support from the government.

In a bid to ease medical costs, President Duterte has ordered the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to include testing, isolation, and hospitalization of coronavirus patients under its health care coverage.

"Nagbigay ng direktiba ang ating presidente sa Philippine Health Insurance Corp. na kasama sa health insurance coverage ang RT-PCR test, isolation sa accredited community isolation units at hospitalization para sa mild at critical cases ng COVID-19 (The President issued a directive to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation that health insurance coverage must include RT-PCR test, isolation in accredited community isolation units and hospitalization for mild and critical cases of COVID-19)," Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said during a televised briefing Tuesday, April 6.

Patients staying in tents as part of a hospital's in-patient care must also be covered by the PhilHealth assistance based on the President's latest order.

"Kaugnay nito, kung ang tents ay kasama sa in-patient kailangan covered ito sa kasalukyang in-patient COVID-19 package (In line with this, if the tents are part of in-patient care, this must be covered in the present in-patient COVID-19 package)," Roque said.

The President's latest order came after the country's active cases of coronavirus continued to soar in recent days. The country has so far recorded 803,398 cases, including 143,726 active cases and 13,435 deaths. 

Senator Christopher Go earlier asked PhilHealth to be "more proactive" in provide additional protection for Filipinos during the pandemic. Go said the government “must do its best to unburden Filipinos by providing necessary, reliable, and efficient health services in line with the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act especially amid the ongoing pandemic.”  

Malacañang earlier reminded the state health corporation to make prompt payment of the hospital claims to ensure these facilities continue to provide care and treatment to people during the pandemic. PHilHealth president Dante Gierran has promised to hasten the reimbursement of member hospitals.