Senate seeks better health coverage for Filipinos

The Senate today approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to amend the PhilHealth Law to ensure better health insurance coverage for Filipinos, especially the underprivileged sector.

Sen. Pia Cayetano, chair of the Committee on Health and Demography and sponsor of Senate Bill 2849, said that under the bill, the national government will shoulder the premiums for the health insurance of the indigent sector while local government units and other sponsors, including legislative sponsors and the national government, will jointly shoulder premiums for the lowest income level of the informal sector.

"To ensure that primary health care is available to all regardless of enrolment, Section 6 of the bill, which is on benefits, mandates that no Filipino shall be denied access to basic health care services. This mandate does not distinguish whether one has paid the premiums or not. The benefit is given to all Filipinos," Cayetano said in her sponsorship speech.

Meanwhile, the Senate also approved several bills, such as strengthening the National Electrification Administration, proposing amendments to the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability (PWDs), Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization (AFMECH) Law and the Internal Displacement Act of 2012 and the Philippine National Health Research System.

Senate Bill No. 3389 or strengthening the National Electrification Administration, sponsored by Senator Sergio Osmena III, seeks to bring electricity, through the electric cooperatives as its implementing arm, to the countryside.

The measure proposes to establish a framework for introducing structural reforms in the National Electrification Administration and the Electric Cooperatives, Osmena said.

Another bill that was approved on third and final reading is SBN 3371 which aims to give PWDs equal opportunities in employment. The measure was sponsored by Sen. Antonio Trillanes, chairman of the Senate Committee on Civil Service and Government Reorganization.

"No person with disability shall be denied access to opportunities for suitable employment. A qualified employee with disability shall be subject to the same terms and conditions of employment and the same compensation, privileges, benefits, fringe benefits, incentives or allowances as a qualified able bodied person," according to the bill.

The bill also provides that at least one percent in all government agencies and private corporations with more than 100 employees shall be reserved for PWDs.

The said measure was sponsored by Sen. Antonio Trillanes, chairman of the Senate Committee on Civil Service and Government Reorganization.

The Senate also approved a bill introduced by Senators Ramon Bong Revilla and Manny Villar, seeking amendments to the Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization Law.

Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, chair of the Committee on Food and Agriculture, said the measure aims to promote development and adoption of modern, appropriate and cost- effective and environmentally-safe agricultural and fisheries machinery and equipment to enhance farm productivity and efficiency in order to achieve food security and safety and increase farmers' income.

"With the enactment of the AFMech Law, a new period in the agriculture sector will be marked by agro-industrialization in the country- side and hopefully we will see urban migration to rural areas," Pangilinan said.

Likewise, the Senate approved on third and final reading SBN 3399 otherwise known as the Philippine National Health Research System. The bill seeks improve the quality of life of every Filipino through health research and development initiatives.

Also approved on third and final reading was SBN 3317 also known as the Internal Displacement Act of 2012 which was sponsored by Escudero, chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

"This Act shall primarily provide for the protection of rights of internally displaced persons (IDPs) during and after displacement, as well as their resettlement, relocation and re-integration into society. This Act shall likewise cover arbitrary internal displacement of civilians as a result of or in order to avoid tire effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights, aggressive implementation of development projects, natural and man-made disasters," the bill stated.

The bill was introduced by Escudero, Estrada, Villar, Legarda, Pangilinan and Franklin Drilon. (OLIVE CAUNAN, PRIB)