233 Kalinga ex-rebels given PhilHealth benefits

   

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Some 233 former rebels in the province were recipients of primary health care in 2015 through their enrollment with the Philippine Health Insurance  Corp. (PhilHealth).

PhilHealth-Kalinga head Rommel Aranca said this was joint undertaking of the Office of Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of Health (DOH).

OPAPP and DSWD conducted the social assessment and prepared list of qualified applicants while DOH provided the annual premium of   more than P559, 000. Aranca said.

 Former rebels are among the marginalized sectors targeted to be provided quality health care under President Benigno S. Aquino III’s Kalusugang Pangkalahatan or Universal Health Care Program where every Filipino should be provided access to primary health care through enrolment with PhilHealth.

 The health care is on top of other assistance provided by the government to former rebels that include livelihood and education. – Larry T. Lopez