Health Secretary Francisco Duque III announced on Wednesday that the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Universal Health Care Law will be signed on Thursday, Oct. 10.
Duque said the IRR will serve as a guide to the DOH and all its partner agencies, particularly PhilHealth, in implementing the law.
Duque announced the good news at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum.
Under the law, which is now considered as a landmark legislation, all Filipino citizens are automatically enrolled into the National Health Insurance Program as direct contributors, or those who have the capacity to pay premiums, and indirect contributors, who will be sponsored by the government such as indigents and senior citizens.
Last August, Duque told Congress that the DOH cannot implement the law nationwide by next year because of “budgetary constraints” and “readiness,” saying that the rollout will instead be progressive.
President Rodrigo Duterte signed the UHC Law in February.