A federation of private hospital workers has welcomed the recent expansion of PhilHealth benefit packages but called on the state health insurer to create a dedicated benefits package for healthcare workers while questioning public claims attributing the reforms to Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.
In a statement, the United Private Hospital Unions of the Philippines (UPHUP) said the enhanced PhilHealth benefits are a positive development that could help reduce patients’ out-of-pocket medical expenses.
However, the group stressed that the expansion of benefits is part of PhilHealth’s mandate under the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act and should not be portrayed as the achievement of a single public official.
“The implementation of benefit packages is an institutional responsibility, not the accomplishment of a single individual,” UPHUP said.
The federation urged PhilHealth to establish a hazard-aligned benefit package specifically for healthcare workers, saying medical frontliners have long been overlooked despite their vital role in delivering health services and their regular exposure to occupational risks.
UST Hospital Union President Donell Siazon said healthcare workers, who are also PhilHealth members and contributors, deserve dedicated benefits in recognition of their service.
“For health workers, being partners in the implementation of policies, there should be a dedicated package. After all, we are all members of PhilHealth,” Siazon said.
UPHUP said healthcare workers continue to face chronic understaffing, low salaries, delayed benefits, and difficult working conditions despite repeated government recognition of their contributions.
The group also questioned why recent public announcements prominently credited Executive Secretary Ralph Recto for the expansion of PhilHealth benefits.
It noted that while public officials may advocate policy reforms, PhilHealth remains governed by its Board and operates under laws enacted by Congress.
The federation asked whether the attribution of the reforms to Recto was part of a communications strategy, particularly following public controversy over the transfer of PhilHealth funds to the National Treasury, an issue in which Recto publicly defended the government’s position.
As part of its recommendations, UPHUP urged PhilHealth to continue expanding benefit packages in line with the Universal Health Care Act, reduce patients’ out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, accelerate reimbursements to hospitals and healthcare providers, develop enhanced benefits for healthcare workers, strengthen transparency and accountability in policymaking, and ensure that reforms advance universal, equitable, and quality healthcare for all Filipinos.
The group emphasized that healthcare is a right guaranteed by law and said the success of PhilHealth should be measured not by publicity surrounding policy announcements but by the extent to which Filipinos experience accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare.IMT
