Teachers’ group joins call for suspension of Philhealth premium increase

FILE PHOTO: A teacher and her students learn together at the Pedro Cruz Elementary School in San Juan City as it reopened its face-to-face classes on Thursday, February 10, 2022. INQUIRER/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — A progressive teacher’s group on Thursday joined the calls for the suspension of the four percent premium hike of Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) as workers bear the brunt of the surging inflation amid pandemic and overseas unrest.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) secretary general Raymond Basilio said the premium hike should be reviewed “as it is already too much a burden to workers and teachers.”

“If implemented, the premium hike will take away more of our take-home pay, instead of giving us additional resources for our needs and that of our families,” Basilio said in a statement, claiming that some of the teachers only have ₱5,000 take-home pay after all their debts.

The state insurer said that aside from the four percent premium rate collection starting June, PhilHealth members would also have to pay a one percent additional premium for the months of January until May.

Basilio said, the premium increase translates to a previous ₱381.58 to ₱508.78 Philhealth monthly contributions of entry-level teachers.

The difference from January to May will also be collected by June, for ₱1,017.56 for Philhealth contributions alone, he added.

The increase in contributions is provided under the Universal Health Care law, which mandates that the premium rate shall increase by increments of zero point five percent every year starting from three percent in 2020 until it reaches five percent.

The premium contribution hike from three percent to three point five percent was supposed to be implemented in January 2021 but was deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Several lawmakers like JV Ejercito and House Assistant Minority Leader Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas have also called for the suspension of Philhealth’s premium rate hike.

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EDV