OFWs Lambasted PhilHealth’s Mandatory 3% Payment From Their Monthly Salaries

The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) reiterated it has increased the contribution of overseas Filipino workers to 3.0 percent of their monthly salary, but opposition to this absurd measure is gaining traction online.

Under PhilHealth Circular 2020-0014 dated April 02, 2020, the agency mandates OFWs whose monthly income ranges from PHP10,000 to PHP60,000 to pay 3.0 percent, an increase from 2.75 percent in 2019.

According to PhilHealth, the premium of overseas Filipinos shall be computed based on their monthly income, to be paid in Philippine Peso equivalent, in accordance with the terms of payment and corresponding due dates as prescribed by the corporation.

The new directive covers all overseas Filipinos working and living abroad, including seafarers, Filipinos with dual citizenship, and even OFWs in distress or undocumented Filipinos.

Members have the option to pay the annual premium in full or pay an initial premium of PHP2,400 and quarterly payments thereafter within 2020.

By January 1, 2021, PhilHealth said that the minimum initial payment will be equivalent to a 3-month premium.

Members will have the option to pay in full or make quarterly payments within one year while seafarers will have their monthly payments deducted from their salaries.

PhilHealth also added that a member who fails to pay the premium after the due date set by the Corporation shall be required to pay all missed contributions with monthly compounded interest.

As of this writing, nearly 190,000 people have signed an online petition calling for the removal of PhilHealth’s mandatory 3 percent premium payment from the monthly salaries of Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) members.

The petition on Change.Org has amassed 189,413 signatories as of 3:00 AM on Sunday, May 3 to repeal the measure, given the global health crisis caused by the coronavirus disease 2019.