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MANILA, Philippines –The The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) said Monday, May 4, that it is temporarily suspending collections for “all direct members” after its The directive to increase the mandatory contribution of Filipino workers abroad (OFW) to 3% was criticized.
In an interview with DZMM, PhilHealth President and CEO Ricardo Morales said they imposed a moratorium on the collections. “The May moratorium is a collection. Obviously, paano kokolektahin iyon kung walang suweldo ang tao.” Morales said. (We have imposed a moratorium on collections. Obviously, how can we collect contributions if people do not have wages?)
When asked if the moratorium applies to everyone, Morales told Rappler: “Originally until May 30, but now extended by [the] pandemic period. For all direct members. “
As of Sunday, May 3, an online petition urging PhilHealth to drop its directive to increase OFW contributions has collected more than 300,000 signatures since the campaign began in late April.
His petition attacked PhilHealth Circular No. 2020-0014 dated April 2 covering Filipinos abroad, saying that for OFWs with monthly wages between P10,000 and P60,000, their monthly PhilHealth contribution will be the 3% of their wages, an increase of 2.75% in 2019
The monthly premium will increase by 0.5 percentage points each year until it reaches 5% by 2024.
The circular stated that OFWs “are classified as direct taxpayers” under Republic Law No. 11223 or the Universal Law on Medical Care. Because of this, PhilHealth said, “paying and sending premium contributions is mandatory.”
The petition says that “it is too much of them to ask for an interest rate and a fine that is very unfair and inhumane for those who travel far from their families to work.”
“It is very unfortunate that they call modern OFW heroes and yet penalize us with such directives,” he added.
A joint statement by more than 100 Filipino migrant groups worldwide also opposed the proposed collection, saying the increase “overburdens OFWs who are already concerned about reductions and loss of income due to the pandemic and recession of COVID-19 “.
The groups then demanded the cessation of the mandatory Philhealth premium requirement, the application of a “moratorium on all state levies” during the coronavirus pandemic, the elimination of punitive sanctions, and the wastage of certificate of employment abroad.
Meanwhile, in the same interview with DZMM, Morales denied that PhilHealth will prevent OFWs from leaving the country if they do not pay their premiums first. – Rappler.com
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