Reelected Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez on Monday filed a bill seeking to exempt millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), whether land- or sea-based, from paying premium contributions to PhilHealth.
Tingog party-list Reps. Jude Acidre and Andrew Julian Romualdez co-authored the bill with the former speaker of the 19th Congress.
According to Romualdez, House Bill 2 aims to strengthen the country’s healthcare system and improve public health emergency preparedness by amending the Universal Health Care Act.
The measure proposes that the national government pay half of OFWs’ premiums while employers shoulder the rest and that unused subsidies be allocated exclusively to increased benefits or reduced future contributions.
It also seeks to create the Universal Health Care Coordinating Council to oversee implementation and ensure that healthcare remains accessible and equitable for every Filipino.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “House bill seeks to exempt millions of OFWs from paying PhilHealth premiums”
