Philhealth protects 5M overseas Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) is now covering some five million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and dependents. Philhealth president and chief executive officer Eduardo Banzon said that the government agency signed up 2.52 million OFWs, and another 2.48 million declared dependents. Under the program, active land-based OFWs who went through the prescribed registration process of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) are enlisted as Philhealth members. OFWs already abroad but not yet enrolled as Philhealth members may also register under the program, he said. Sailors and other sea-based OFWs are considered locally employed members.