House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez has filed a new bill aiming to spare millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from paying PhilHealth premium contributions.
House Bill No. 2, co-authored with Tingog party-list Reps. Jude Acidre and Andrew Julian Romualdez, proposes to amend the Universal Health Care Act by shifting the burden of PhilHealth payments away from OFWs. Under the measure, the national government would shoulder 50% of the contribution, while the remaining half would come from employers.
Romualdez said the proposed law is not only a nod to the sacrifices of OFWs but also a step toward improving the country’s public health response. “This measure reinforces our commitment to strengthen our healthcare system and ensure we are better prepared for public health emergencies,” he explained.
The bill also calls for the creation of a Universal Health Care Coordinating Council that would monitor implementation and push for equitable access to healthcare. Any unused government subsidy under the program would be redirected to either enhancing benefit packages or reducing OFW contributions in the future.
If passed, the bill would mark a significant relief for OFWs, many of whom have long voiced concerns about being made to pay into a healthcare system they rarely benefit from.
