First and foremost, welcome to my humble home. I welcomed here Representative Trisha Bonoan-David, the Vice President Jejomar Binay, and even you the first time around. Do you still remember when you flirted with your P300 increase from the P900.00 fees making our fees starting January 2012 to P1,200? Wala akong nagawa nun kasi December, busy ako sa vacation.
May mga taong mahilig sa 50, mahilig ako sa sampu, so here are the 10 things I want you to know in case you really don't know. Sit back. Relax. Let's have a heart to heart talk. I will try not to be confrontational. This is my blog, but I am giving you in the comment section below the chance to answer my questions, and to explain your side.
1. There is a raging debate going on. Ayaw ko ng salitang mandatory, compulsory, and requirement. Most of the people especially OFWs wanted to have an OPTIONAL membership in Philhealth. I was in favor of that proposal then. I changed my mind. I understand na sa OFW funds niyo kinukuha ang malaking budget para gamitin sa healthcare system ng bayan. Kaya nga sapilitan kaming magbayad kasi kailangan kami ng bayan para tulungan ang mga nagkakasakit, at gamutin ang mga hirap at hindi makaafford magpagamot. Now, I get it. We are 'Bagong Bayani". We send dollars, we feed our families, we send our kids to schools, and we help the government take care of the nation.
2. For many years, I paid P900 everytime I come home. Well, 8 years to be exact. Wala akong reklamo. Di ko nga naintindihan yan. Wala nga akong ID. Di ko nga alam ang ID number ko, meron ba sa OEC? Saan ko makikita yan? Bigla kang nagtaas. P300, so naging P1,200. Umangal ako nun. Pero dahil OFW ako, kelangan kong makalabas ng bansa para kumita.
3. Isang taon lang ang lumipas, sa susunod na January 01, 2013 (and January 2014) kelangan kong magbayad kada taon ng P2,400 para makaalis ng bansa, mandatory bago mabigyan ng OEC. Dito tayo hindi nagkaintindihan. Saan ka nakakita ng kumpanya or negosyante na tumaas ng 100% ng kanilang paninda or bayarin?
4. Bilangin natin ang perang nakukuha ng Philhealth sa OFWs. 10M x 1,200 = P12,000,000,000 (P12B)
magiging P24,000,000,000 (P24B) yan. Bilyong pera ang pinag-uusapan natin. Ilabas niyo po kung sa 10M na OFW sa buong mundo, ilang OFW ang nakinabang ng Philhealth pati mga dependents nila sa isang taon. Sa informal survey na ginawa online, 2-3 sa sampung OFW or dependents nila ang nakinabang ng benepisyo. Why imposed a 100% increase.
5. Ako, kasama ng aking small family ay magkakasama dito sa abroad. Nagbabayad ako ng Philhealth pero ni minsan hindi ko nagamit ito. At meron akong health insurance, pati ang aking 8 buwan na anak na bunso, may health card. Nanganak ang misis ko, wala akong binayaran dito kahit piso. Bakit ako gagamit ng Philhealth na pahirapan sa pagfill up ng form at pagparefund?
6. Ayusin natin ang dependents scheme. Paano ang mga single na wala pang 60 ang kanilang mga magulang kasi hindi pwede mga kapatid as dependents. Paano ang mag-asawa na nagtratrabaho sa abroad, at ang mga anak ay more than 21 years old na. Paano ang couple na parehong OFW, bakit pareho silang magbabayad?
7. Ang OWWA ba ay healthcare system or mabibigyan ka lang ng benefit kung tigok ka na? Kung ang OWWA ay healthcare, ano ang silbi nito kung merong Philhealth? Kung kelangan mapaayos ang serbisyo sa OFW at mga pamilya nila na naiwan sa Pinas, bakit walang ibang choice na healthcare providers?
8. If nagbayad ako ng sampung taon, ni minsan hindi ko ito nagamit, umuwi ako ng Pinas, inabot ako ng pang11th year, nagkasakit at hindi ako nakapagbayad, wala na akong coverage! Wala bang option na pwede mo makuha after how many years kung hindi mo nagamit?
9. Bakit hindi natin bigyan ng maayos na benefits ang mga OFW. Minsan lang sa isang taon o dalawang taon kami umuuwi. Bakit hindi natin eextend ang service sa Free or 20% fee para sa regular check-up? Bakit kelangan ko muna maadmit pati mga dependents ko, bago ko magamit ang service?
10. Since abroad kami, bakit kelangan pa ipadala ang mga forms dito sa abroad, pipirmahan ko, tapos ipapadala na naman sa Pinas, tapos maghihintay ng halos 6 months bago ang refund? Why not establish a system na easier on our part? Sa bilyon-bilyong pera nakukuha niyo sa mga OFW kada taon, kadalasan pa nito hindi nagagamit ang Philhealth kasi may mga health card and insurance as required of our host countries labor laws, bakit di niyo ipunin ang mga pinakamagaling na mga IT na Pinoy at gumawa ng program at system para maenhance ang service? This goes to OWWA as well.
I am sorry. After enumerating the 10 points above, I believe we are not partners in health. Partners mutually benefit from each other. I see a one sided relationship here. Before you ask for a 100% increase, make your service better first. It's a shame because, me and speaking of other OFWs, we came from Europe, North America and Canada, Asia and the Pacific and even Middle East, where healthcare system is much better so don't impose through Philhealth Circular 007 series of 2012 that you want to increase our fees.
You can see how my sentiments mirror many others. In a matter of 8 hours, this call not to implement the increase generated 14,500 SHARES multiply that with at least 300 friends of the sharer, and we are talking around 4,350,000 views, (4.35M). OFWs are tired and sick of the many payments here and there. Before it was fine, nobody complained, now, it not the case anymore. OFWs, 90% of them use internet as a means to communicate with families are into social media, blogs, twitter and Facebook. Sabi nga kanina,
Ang rally for a cause is wala na sa kalsada, kundi through sharing sa Social Media. Let's see if makakaabot sa inyo. Let's see if makikinig kayo.
You can see how my sentiments mirror many others. In a matter of 8 hours, this call not to implement the increase generated 14,500 SHARES multiply that with at least 300 friends of the sharer, and we are talking around 4,350,000 views, (4.35M). OFWs are tired and sick of the many payments here and there. Before it was fine, nobody complained, now, it not the case anymore. OFWs, 90% of them use internet as a means to communicate with families are into social media, blogs, twitter and Facebook. Sabi nga kanina,
Ang rally for a cause is wala na sa kalsada, kundi through sharing sa Social Media. Let's see if makakaabot sa inyo. Let's see if makikinig kayo.
I issue a challenge to the Presidential Adviser on OFW Affairs VP Jejomar Binay, and the Congress and Senate. Who is brave and a true leader enough to look into this matter seriously? Here are your people, numbering by the millions, OFWs 10M or more, asking you to STOP this mandatory increase for Philhealth Fees. You can read their voices here.
©2012 THOUGHTSKOTO
