The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has urged local government units (LGUs) in Negros Oriental to ramp up registration for the agency’s Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP), citing slow enrollment since its launch.
Maritess Que, PhilHealth local health insurance officer, said in an interview on Wednesday that the registration pace has been “very slow” despite distributing YAKAP application forms to LGUs as early as September.
“LGUs and rural health units play a crucial role because they are directly in touch with their constituents,” Que said.
She reported that only around 31,000 PhilHealth members in her coverage area—from Dumaguete City to Basay—have completed their first patient encounter (FPE), a requirement before availing of free medicines and laboratory tests under the program.
Similar registration challenges are being observed in northern Negros Oriental, although PhilHealth is still consolidating data from those areas.
Que expressed optimism that YAKAP-accredited health centers and three private hospitals in Dumaguete City will step up in promoting the enhanced primary care program.
YAKAP is an improved version of PhilHealth’s KONSULTA (Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama) program, which provides accessible essential healthcare services, especially for low-income Filipinos.
During the Oct. 8 regional launch, Governor Manuel Sagarbarria noted that only 25 percent of the province’s estimated 1.4 million population have registered under YAKAP.
Que said PhilHealth will intensify its information drive but emphasized the need for stronger collaboration with LGUs to maximize the program’s reach and benefits.