DAVAO CITY (PIA) — The National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) Cluster 8 and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in the Davao region have forged a partnership in a bid to enhance and strengthen healthcare access among senior citizens in the region.
NCSC Cluster 8 Commissioner Ida Patron-Yap and PhilHealth XI Regional Vice President Atty. Harvey Carcedo led the signing of a memorandum of agreement during the Kapihan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao on July 12, which also aims to bolster the implementations of RA 10645 or the mandatory PhilHealth coverage for all senior citizens and RA 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act.
Although these laws have been implemented, Carcedo is optimistic that with the partnership, more senior citizens will be reached out to and benefit from the programs and services of PhilHealth.
“We have this strong partnership with NCSC so that we can go directly and focus on our senior citizens so that we can achieve an age-friendly city or community,” Carcedo added.
On the part of NCSC, Patron-Yap emphasized that the linkage would serve as an avenue to focus on the senior citizen communities, whose well-being is their primary concern.
“This will make the life of the senior citizens better and make them secure because even if they are in their twilight years, maraming unknown doon, but they would not be afraid anymore because we have some programs that would really improve their health, protect them in times when they become sick or very sick,” Patron-Yap said.
Moreover, Cynthia Linda Gallenero, NCSC Cluster 8 Age-Friendly Cities and Communities Program Officer, said that the partnership is among the strategies they undertook to carry out the Philippine Plan of Action for Senior Citizens 2023-2028 (PPASC 2023-2028).
As the promotion of easy access to healthcare for all senior citizens, one of the key result areas of the PPASC 2023-2028, Gallenero emphasized, “Programs of PhilHealth, being a strategic partner, is very timely in supporting this action plan.”
Also, she said that this is one way of strengthening programs concerning health and wellness among senior citizens in anticipation of the growing population of senior citizens in the country.
“The Philippines is now starting to age, and we need to prepare for that to happen,” she said.
Meanwhile, Filbert Bryan Sollesta, PhilHealth XI Field Operations Division Chief, said they particularly intend to promote and strengthen the Konsulta program among senior citizens.
“We would like ensure na atong mga members – atoang mga senior citizens will have access to the outpatient services anytime na magkasakit sila, naa silay ma-adtuan para sa ilahang pagmaintain sa ilahang pagkahimsug,” he explained.
(We would like to ensure that our members, especially our senior citizens, will have access to outpatient services anytime they get sick; they will have something to rely on to maintain their health.)
Carcedo affirmed the importance of the Konsulta program for senior citizens, noting that it offers annual checkups, “a preventive measure that would prevent our senior citizens from the disease they are encountering right now from being or having it worse.”
However, Sollesta emphasized the need for senior citizens to register first before they can avail of PhilHealth programs like Konsulta.
“There are still people who need to be members of PhilHealth kasi importante na makapagrehistro sila whether member or dependents so that they can avail of benefits of PhilHealth,” Sollesta said.
(There are still people who need to be members of PhilHealth because it is essential that they will register whether members or dependents so that they can avail of the benefits of PhilHealth.)
He added, “Although there is already immediate eligibility, we cannot have them avail of the benefits until they’re registered. So we need everyone to register them.”
That’s why, in conjunction with promoting PhilHealh programs, they will also fast-track the registration of senior citizens in PhilHealh.
He called on those with senior citizen family members to have them registered in PhilHealth.
He added that they have been participating in various caravans across the region to provide access to registration for those who are not yet members of PhilHealth.
“Pwede pod sila mo-apil sa amoang Konsulta caravan, which happens all over the region, so that they can avail not only for Konsulta but also for the registration,” he said.
(They can also join our Konsulta caravan, which happens all over the region so that they can take advantage of not only Konsulta but also registration.)
Sollesta reported that at present, a total of 765,263 senior citizens, including senior citizen dependents, are registered in Philhealth.
Of these numbers, 225,711 are lifetime members or formerly employed members and are currently in retirement, Sollesta said. (ASO/PIA Davao Region)
