Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan (Yamsuan's Facebook)

Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan is proposing a measure in the House of Representatives that seeks to institutionalize a standard health insurance package for public school teachers, which includes an annual P7,000 allowance to subsidize the benefit.

In his House Bill (HB) No. 10990, Yamsuan said the Department of Education’s (DepEd) provision of health maintenance organization (HMO)-type coverage for teachers will be a permanent feature of the benefits package for all teaching personnel.

“Ang layunin natin sa paghahain ng panukalang batas na ito ay matiyak na ang pagkakaroon ng mas malawak na benepisyong pangkalusugan para sa ating mga public school teachers ay magiging regular at permanenteng bahagi na ng mga benepisyong natatanggap nila mula sa gobyerno,” he said in a statement on Monday, Oct. 21.

(Our goal in filing the bill is to make sure that the grant of expanded healthcare benefits to our public school teachers becomes a regular and permanent part of the benefits they receive from the government.) 

The lawmaker said qualified public school teachers shall each receive an annual medical allowance not exceeding P7,000 as a subsidy. This is to enable the DepEd to procure a contract with an HMO on the teachers’ behalf. 

He noted that the amount of medical allowance is subject to mandatory review every three years by the department to ensure that it is sufficient and reflective of current market prices.  

Yamsuan said this bill also seeks to promote preventive healthcare through HMO-type benefits, such as doctor visits, specialist services, and other preventive care.

He said this would allow the often overworked teachers to maintain their well-being and get treatment when necessary without worrying about mounting medical expenses, or long before health concerns become life-threatening.

Close to one million public school teachers in the basic education system stand to benefit from the measure, he said.

Yamsuan's bill is a response to DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara’s initiative to pool the annual P7,000 medical allowance that public school teachers are set to receive beginning in 2025.

The allowance is mandated under President Marcos’ Executive Order (EO) No. 64, which increased the annual medical allowance to eligible government civilian personnel.

Before this order, public school teachers were receiving a mere P500 for their medical examination allowance.

Yamsuan said his bill, above all else, will end the “unjust dilemma” endured by teachers.

He noted that when teachers fall ill, they usually choose between working while sick or taking an unpaid sick leave, which further strains their finances.

“Providing quality healthcare to public school teachers would result in healthier and happier educators, which would then help ensure higher-quality education and better learning environments for all students,” he added.

Yamsuan, who currently represents Bicol Saro in the 19th Congress, said HB No. 10990 is aligned with his Health, Opportunities, Peace and Education (HOPE) agenda for Parañaque’s 2nd district.

The city’s district is where Yamsuan earlier filed a certificate of candidacy (COC) to run for its congressional representative in next year’s midterm elections.