By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY — The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Wednesday (Oct. 15) revealed the details and information about its YAKAP (Yaman ng Kalusugan Program).
During the roundtable discussion for primary care advocacy, Walter “Waway” R. Bacareza, PhilHealth Vice President, Corporate Affairs Group, said “we are embarking on the new YAKAP program.”
“I think and I’m proud that we have stabilized health, for the curative portion. We have stabilized the hospital billing,” Bacareza said.
“We have also increased the benefit packages. We have doubled it,” he added.
The cancer package is increased to the tune of P1 million and upto P1.4 million depending on the type of cancer.
Bacareza stressed the help of the media in disseminating information about PhilHealth YAKAP.
He said that consultation, 75 types of medicines, cancer screening and expanded laboratory packages are included in the 21 YAKAP Centers nationwide, as well as 154 dialysis sessions at P6,500 per session.
“In 30 days, we have to have accomplished something as per instruction of President Edwin Mercado,” Bacareza said.
“Umiwas sa sakit. Magpalista na po tayo sa PhilHealth YAKAP,” he added.
Bacareza assured PhilHealth’s fair and equal treatment to all members.
He clarified that all Filipinos are qualified to be PhilHealth members. They are all eligible.
Bacareza said that they have the complaint action center hotline, adding that they have a mechanism to address the complaints and grievances such as the three-strike policy violation.
As of today, there are 36 million Filipinos who are registered in the YAKAP, 8.87 million of which are “first patient encounter”, with P15.3-billion budget and P2.9 billion for medicines for this year.
Dr. Edwin Mercado, PhilHealth President and CEO, said “primary care is close to all of us by law, specifically under the Universal Healthcare Law.”
He cited the Health System in the United Kingdom and China which was established in the 1990’s.
Dr. Mercado stressed that the benefit health packages they are developing are based on evidence-based protocols.
The initial concept was that YAKAP was only for the rural health unit, but it is designed to benefit the island provinces as well.
“We will not back down but we will be pushing for capitation or fooling of funds at P1,700 ensuring sustainability of the cost structure,” Dr. Mercado said.
He stressed that the P20,000 given to each Filipino for primary care for maintenance medicines, through the e-wallet, is the single biggest benefit package.
PhilHealth has had a soft launch of the P20,000 health packages for maintenance medicines in Manila.
“Perfection is the enemy of success,” he said.
He was referring to how PhilHealth is making sure that the misconceptions on primary health care, specifically the challenges on YAKAP will be addressed.
Dr. Mercado urged the media to monitor the progress of PhilHealth as to the right medicine such that with the “three-strike* policy, accreditation will be withdrawn.
He said that the” case mix” in the DOH hospitals are bigger compared to local government units and private hospitals.
Dr. Mercado added that by 2028, they will be increasing the share of PhilHealth budget in the total healthcare expenditure from 7% to 20%.
He revealed that 104 pharmacists were accredited as of September 2025 nationwide, 56 of which are from Metro Manila.
Dr. Mercado cited the P60 billion restored by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., the P53 billion appropriated to PhilHealth and the funds coming from PAGCOR.
He said that the 75 medicines is just a fraction of the 300 medicines in their drug list.
Dr. Mercado added that 50 million Filipinos have chosen their YAKAP clinic, 8.87 million have experienced “first patient encounter” and 20 million are active in YAKAP.
He stressed that the three-strike policy, the circular of which, has just been released yesterday, has remedial and due process.
Dr. Mercado announced that they are also planning an off-site YAKAP registration for organizations such as tricycle drivers groups and other busy people.
Dr. Alberto “Jr” Ong, Jr., physician at Fe Del Mundo Medical Center Primary Care Clinic, said that with PhilHealth YAKAP, for as long as the patient has the PhilHealth number, unlimited free health services will be extended to the patient.
Alvin Manalansan, Healthcare and Education Convenor Citizens Watch, Inc., said that they are monitoring the full and proper implementation of the Universal Healthcare Law.
Manalansan added that they wanted to widen the healthcare advocacy in order to inform more Filipinos about the PhilHealth YAKAP.
It was revealed that more than 90% of the DOH hospitals are registered in the YAKAP and more government hospitals and private hospitals are registering.
In public health facility, there is no co-payment, but there is a P900 co-payment or cap per year in the private health facility.
The garbage collectors, who are employed by the local government units, are also eligible in YAKAP.###
