PhilHealth members in Western Visayas urged to avail of YAKAP for preventable diseases
By Tara Yap
THE Nov. 18, 2025 media forum of PhilHealth-6 in Iloilo City. (Tara Yap)
ILOILO CITY — The government-owned Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) urged members in Western Visayas region to avail of its primary care benefit program known as YAKAP (Yaman ng Kalusugan) to curb preventable diseases.
Based on consolidated data as of Oct. 31, PhilHealth-6 paid more than P1 billion for two preventable diseases — P790.64 million for moderate risk pneumonia and P203.97 million for hypertension.
PhilHealth-6 also paid more than P153 million for chronic kidney diseases claims.
“The symptoms could have been treated before becoming aggravated,” said PhilHealth-6 Regional Public Affairs Chief Janimhe Jalbuna.
Jalbuna said low-risk pneumonia can be addressed by the program.
“But when the risk becomes moderate or high, it needs hospital admission,” Jalbuna added during a PhilHealth-6 media forum on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
PhilHealth-6 has disbursed more than P416.3 million for YAKAP this year.
The province of Capiz has the biggest payout for claims with P103.67 million. Iloilo has P102.34 million.
PhilHealth-6 Vice President Larry Tabsing said they are coordinating with local government units (LGUs) to strengthen the campaign to avail YAKAP services, which also provides free diagnostics and medicines.