Bicol lawmaker hits PhilHealth contribution hike for OFWs, offers alternatives

LIGAO CITY – Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. is asking the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to rescind or ditch its move to increase the premium contributions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

In the PhilHealth directive, the premium contribution of OFWs earning P10,000 up to P60,000 will be increased from 2.75 percent to 3 percent of their monthly salary.

“I propose two alternative ways to finance the inclusion of OFWs in universal health coverage but not in the form and method PhilHealth has now,” Garbin said

He proposed two alternatives.

“First, is a one-time pre-departure PhilHealth membership fee of just P1,000 to be advanced by the licensed recruitment agency or ship manning agency or 50 percent subsidized by the OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration). The second step is a simple P20 fee deducted from every remittance or money transfer of any amount.”

The membership fee and the P20 money transfer charge are credited to the PhilHealth account of the OFW member. Before documented OFWs leave the country, their Filipino recruitment or manning agency must register them with PhilHealth, he said.

“With these methods, it is simple, doable, and minimally taxing the hard-earned income of OFWs,” Garbin said.

He said OFWs could be taxed and could be paying members of PhilHealth, Social Security System, and Pag-IBIG.

However, it is understandable that they will reject premium contributions because those deductions do not go directly to their families.