MANILA, Philippines – Senator Bong Go is once again urging the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to strengthen its information dissemination efforts and provide every Filipino with a simple, affordable, and durable identification card to clearly prove their membership and access to benefits under the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law.
 |
| Photo courtesy: Senator Bong Go / Facebook |
Under the UHC Act, every Filipino is automatically a member of PhilHealth. However, Go emphasized that many citizens remain unaware of their membership and entitlements.
Go noted that only around 27.8 million Filipinos are currently registered under PhilHealth’s Konsulta program—far fewer than the country's total population.
"Kaya mahalagang may malinaw na pagkakakilanlan upang hindi sila matakot magpakonsulta at magpagamot sa ospital," Go said.
Need for reliable proof of membership
Go recommended that membership identification can come in the form of a digital ID, a physical PhilHealth card, or integration with the national ID system.
According to him, having verifiable proof of membership will help patients access healthcare services more confidently and assist hospitals in verifying eligibility more efficiently.
Senate Bill No. 2983: Philippine Health Card Act of 2025
To address this concern, the senator is advocating for the passage of Senate Bill No. 2983, or the Philippine Health Card Act of 2025. The proposed measure aims to provide every Filipino with a standardized health card, implemented under the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) in cooperation with local government units.
“While the ID won’t be required to avail of PhilHealth benefits, having one will make the process clearer, faster, and more accessible—especially for the poor and vulnerable,” Go explained.
Stronger information campaign urged
Go also called on PhilHealth to enhance its information campaign to ensure all Filipinos are aware of their automatic membership and available benefits. He emphasized that improving awareness is key to making universal health care truly accessible to all.
“PhilHealth should be the first option for Filipinos seeking health services—not the last resort. For that to happen, people need to know they’re covered,” he concluded.
— The Summit Express