PhilHealth Regional Office National Capital Region Vice President Bernadette C. Lico (first row, 2R) and other representatives from the state insurer explore potential areas of mutual cooperation with Mowelfund Board of Trustees represented by Chairperson Maria Elisa “Boots” Anson Roa Rodrigo (front row, center), Vice Chairman and Treasurer Regina “Gina Alajar” Eigenmann (front row, 1L), President and Chief Executive Officer Res Cortez (second row, 4L), Trustee Jaime “Jim” Baltazar (second row, 5L), and Jose Sixto “Dingdong” Dantes III (second row, 5R). (Photo by: PhilHealth NCR)
QUEZON CITY, (PIA) – At least 10,000 movie workers under the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation, Inc. (Mowelfund) will soon gain access to comprehensive primary care services through the Konsulta program of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
PhilHealth Regional Office National Capital Region (PRO NCR) Vice President Bernadette C. Lico on Friday, October 18, convened a partnership meeting with the Board of Trustees of Mowelfund to lay the groundwork for the implementation of the Konsulta program among the Filipino film community.
Mowelfund, as a non-stock and non-profit foundation, shed light on the sad plight of movie workers who do not have access to social health protection given the nature of their employment as independent contractors.
Since most workers in the Philippine motion picture industry–from actors, directors, cameramen, to audio-visual technicians, and sound engineers, are not covered by health insurance through their jobs, it is difficult for them to avail of primary care without bearing the high cost of healthcare.
Mowelfund Chairperson Maria Elisa “Boots” Anson Roa Rodrigo cited how the foundation is working hard to improve the access of movie workers to medical benefits in a bid to empower the pillars of the country’s culture and creative sector.
The goal of establishing a central provider of health and other wellness needs was primarily initiated by Mowelfund Trustee Jose Sixto “Dingdong” Dantes III, who, as an actor himself, shares the burden of his fellow workers in the industry when it comes to the lack of social protection.
“When we were crafting the dream, the goal is to give free benefits in terms of, at least, the basic level of primary care,” said Dantes, expressing the great pleasure of the foundation to come across the fact that a program providing free primary care services is already being implemented by the government.
Vice President Lico, for her part, expressed the commitment of PhilHealth in fulfilling the dream of Mowelfund to cater to the welfare of Filipino movie workers in Metro Manila and other parts of the country, especially those who are financially incapable to avail of preventive health services.
Mowelfund was able to be oriented about the outpatient benefits under the PhilHealth Konsulta that can be extended to the members of the foundation.
The prospective partnership between PhilHealth NCR and Mowelfund is initially poised to generate at least P17 million capitation fund which will be allocated for the healthcare coverage of 10,000 movie workers.
The said capitation fund is based on the enhanced Konsulta benefit package with a budget per patient rate of P1,700 from the previous P500 allocation per member.
Aside from free medical check-ups, the collaborative initiative of PhilHealth NCR and Mowelfund will also enable the movie workers to avail of free maintenance medicines, laboratory tests, and other diagnostic exams which can aid in the promotion of early detection to help them achieve the best possible health.
The vision of this landmark partnership is closely intertwined with the recently passed law on the protection of the safety and health of workers in the movie and television industry known as Republic Act 11996 or the Eddie Garcia Law which was signed into effect by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. in May 2024.
PhilHealth NCR and Mowelfund are set to formalize their partnership through a signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in November 2024.
The Mowelfund was organized and established in 1974 by former Philippine President Joseph “Erap” Estrada with the goal of serving the marginalized workers in the film industry through the implementation of welfare programs and film education.
At present, Mowelfund caters to the welfare needs of their members by means of providing annual surgical allowance worth P13,000 to P15,000, medical reimbursement amounting to P8,000, death benefits at P35,000, livelihood programs, and small housing projects.
PhilHealth Konsulta, on the other hand, is one of the Universal Health Care (UHC) programs of the government which is geared towards expanding the access of every Filipino to affordable and quality healthcare, especially in terms of primary care.
The state insurer essentially aims to expand the network of Konsulta Package Providers (KPPs) in the region which currently stands at 452.
By forging strategic partnerships with the public and private sector, PhilHealth continues to make significant strides in providing more access points to Filipinos in need of healthcare. (JMP/PIA-NCR)
