PhilHealth NCR & Rizal Vice President Dr. Bernadette C. Lico (3L) and DSWD Regional Director Atty. Michael Joseph J. Lorico (3R) sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to deliver comprehensive healthcare services through the Konsulta program alongside PhilHealth Local Health Insurance Office (LHIO) Quezon City Head Sidfry Panganiban (1L), NCR Central Branch Manager Atty. Recto Panti (2L), DSWD Assistant Director for Administration Benchie B. Gonzales (2R) and DSWD Assistant Director for Operation Bienvenido Jr. V. Barbosa (1R). (Photo Courtesy of PhilHealth NCR)
QUEZON CITY, (PIA) – The National Capital Region (NCR) offices of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) forged a partnership that will seek to improve the access of the country’s poor, disadvantaged, and the most vulnerable populations to primary healthcare services.
The landmark collaboration, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), is primarily aimed at addressing the gaps in healthcare for the underserved populations in the region with the inclusive implementation of PhilHealth’s Konsulta (Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama) program.
Vice President Dr. Bernadette C. Lico of PhilHealth Regional Office (PRO) NCR has reaffirmed the commitment of the state insurer in fulfilling the vision of Universal Health Care (UHC) by eliminating the barriers to an equitable healthcare system.
“PhilHealth is committed to providing accessible, affordable, and quality health care insurance coverage. By joining forces with DSWD, we can ensure that more Filipinos – particularly those who need it the most – are able to avail of necessary health services through the Konsulta program,” said Dr. Lico.
For his part, DSWD NCR Regional Director Atty. Michael Joseph J. Lorico underscored the importance of integrating health in facilitating a more holistic and responsive social protection services for the marginalized sector.
“This MOU is a start of something fruitful and as we go along in this journey mas gaganda pa ang serbisyo ng DSWD at PhilHealth para sa taong bayan (This MOU is a start of something fruitful and as we go along in this journey, the people can expect an enhanced services from DSWD and PhilHealth),” said Atty. Lorico.
“We believe this partnership will not only strengthen healthcare delivery in NCR but will also serve as a model for other regions to replicate. By combining health insurance and social welfare services, we are one step closer to achieving true universal health coverage for all Filipinos,” he added.
The MOU between PhilHealth and DSWD will enable the integration of PhilHealth coverage for the beneficiaries of the social protection programs of DSWD. It will also facilitate the registration and assignment of beneficiaries to the nearest Konsulta Package Providers (KPPs) in their respective cities to avail of the necessary health assessment services, medical check-ups, laboratory tests, prescription of medicines, and other outpatient benefits under the Konsulta program.
To ensure the effective and efficient delivery of primary healthcare services, the partner agencies will establish a framework to identify beneficiaries and monitor their health conditions to guarantee that they are receiving proper and continuous care.
It can be recalled that in October 2023, PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer (PCEO) Emmanuel Ledesma, Jr. and DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian laid out the foundation of the partnership for the delivery of the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) to poor Filipino households.
The said partnership is anchored on the utilization of the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR), also known as Listahanan 3 of the DSWD, to effectively identify the most vulnerable populations who are in need of access to healthcare services.
Other key provisions in the MOU include the dissemination of health education about proper health care practices, disease prevention, and early diagnosis for both physical and mental health needs.
The implementation of the Konsulta program is a key step in the promotion of primary and preventive healthcare services towards improving the health outcomes of Filipinos, especially the indigent families, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.
PhilHealth and DSWD both expressed their hopes that this collaboration will not only empower and enable the marginalized sector to lead healthier lives but also pave the way for similar collaborations across the country towards ensuring that the most disadvantaged Filipinos have access to timely and quality healthcare. (JMP/PhilHealth NCR)
