Kabayan Party-list Rep. Ron Salo (PPAB)

Kabayan Party-list Rep. Ron Salo is urging the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to assign personnel to Philippine embassies abroad in order to provide for the healthcare needs of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

In a statement, Salo mentioned that during his consultations with OFWs, he learned that most of them expressed dismay at PhilHealth's lack of presence overseas.

The lawmaker said that this contributes to OFWs’ struggles in availing of the benefits due to them—which could be noted as the polar opposite of the agency’s efficiency in collecting membership fees.

“Our OFWs, who contribute significantly to the country's economy through remittances, deserve more accessible health services, including immediate processing of claims,” said Saro.

“We have agencies like the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs), DMW (Department of Migrant Workers), OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration), Pag-IBIG, and SSS (Social Security System) present in our embassies and consulates, but sadly, PhilHealth is missing,” he stressed.

In a letter addressed to the PhilHealth Board of Directors, Salo urged PhilHealth to assign personnel to countries with large OFW populations. He named countries in the Middle East such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman, as well as South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Italy.

The veteran congressman is also pushing the state health insurer to build partnerships with health facilities abroad for a quicker response to the health concerns of OFWs.

“It is critical that OFWs have quicker and easier access to healthcare services while they are abroad. PhilHealth should actively explore partnerships with hospitals and clinics in key OFW destinations to make sure that our workers can easily claim the benefits they have paid for,” he noted.

In addition, Salo is proposing further enhancements to PhilHealth’s services to further enhance the healthcare experience of migrant workers. He cited the need for a stronger emergency package, expanded diagnostic services, and additional dental services. 

“These improvements are crucial in ensuring that our modern-day heroes, who sacrifice so much for their families and our nation, receive the health services they deserve,” he pointed out.