Dole to private employers: Register workers under PhilHealth’s Yakap

MANILA, Philippines — Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino has ordered all private employers to register their employees under the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (Yakap) of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

In line with the Labor Advisory No. 10, series of 2026 Tolentino signed, the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) said that this is pursuant to Article 5 of the Labor Code of the Philippines and Republic Act No. 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act.

READ: PhilHealth assures efforts ongoing to address Yakap concerns

“Under the new guidelines, Secretary Tolentino urged employers to coordinate with PhilHealth, facilitate on-site registration activities in the workplace, and assist workers with their online registration through the eGov app and the PhilHealth Member Portal,” Dole said in a press release on Wednesday.

Yakap is PhilHealth’s enhanced primary care benefit that covers consultations, laboratory and cancer screening tests, prescribed essential medicines, and other outpatient services to all PhilHealth members and qualified dependents.

“In addition, they are recommended to promote workers’ access to first-contact consultations with accredited YAKAP providers by granting excused absences for employees who will enroll at PhilHealth offices or avail consultation services at YAKAP clinics. In return, employees are advised to give their employees prior notice when needed,” Dole added.

READ: PhilHealth highlights ‘Yakap’ for workers on Labor Day

The program also offers Gamot (Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment) where 75 medicines worth up to P20,000 yearly can be availed for free.

To avail oneself of the Gamot package, the individual must first register as a beneficiary of Yakap through the eGov app, PhilHealth online portal, or at PhilHealth offices. The beneficiaries must get a prescription from a Yakap or PhilHealth-certified physician before availing themselves of free medicines.

The Dole also shared that more than 41,000 workers across the Ilocos Region were already enrolled in the Yakap through onsite registration. /cb