A group of education workers called on the government to suspend the increase in Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) contribution and demanded a salary hike for teachers.

“It is best, that the implementation of the PhilHealth premium increase to four percent is suspended immediately and the whole premium hike plan be reviewed altogether as it is already too much a burden to our workers and teachers, especially as the country still grapples with the worst economic crisis under the pandemic and the surging oil prices and runaway inflation,” Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines Secretary-General Raymond Basilio said.

ACT said that with the plan to retroactively implement the premium hike from three to four percent by June 2022, monthly PhilHealth contributions of entry-level teachers will increase from P381.58 to P508.78.

The premium difference from January to May will also be collected, thus effecting by June a total of P1,017.56 for PhilHealth contributions alone.

“If implemented, the premium hike will take away more of our take-home pay, instead of giving us additional resources for our needs and that of our families,” Basilio said.

Basilio noted that currently, the entry-level for teachers in public schools is Salary Grade 11 or P25,439 per month which is “far from the daily family cost of living” of around P32,600.

Basilio furthered that investigations on the PhilHealth funds “should first be done given the many anomalies that surround its use” as well as a study on the effectiveness of the state insurer in delivering universal health care to the Filipino people.

ACT also urged the outgoing and incoming administration to “focus their efforts on how to roll out a significant wage hike for teachers before even implementing an increase in PhilHealth premiums because the planned premium increase is another burden to their almost broken backs.”