A member of the minority bloc of the House of Representatives has called for a review of the Integrated Policy Guidelines and Procedures in the implementation of the Inter-Agency Medical Repatriation Assistance Program (IMRAP) provided under Joint Memorandum Circular 2017-0001.
IMRAP includes the medical repatriation of migrant workers, both documented and undocumented, and other Filipino nationals and their dependents abroad, including those facilitated through the insurer, employer, agency, sponsor, or any third party, and those without proper coordination with relevant government agencies.
The mechanism mandates the assistance of participating agencies from pre-arrival to post-arrival, including welfare assistance and reintegration assistance.
Rep. Marissa Magsino of the OFW party-list group made the appeal after her group earlier conducted a policy dialogue with various agencies responsible for implementing IMRAP, including the Department of Health, in November of 2023.
Magsino said the dialogue prompted her group to file House Resolution 1373 to enable Congress to review the implementation of the government’s medical repatriation program.
“In the policy dialogue that we held, the assessment came out that there is a need to review and amend the provisions in the implementing guidelines of IMRAP, especially since the Department of Migrant Workers has been established,” Magsino said during the budget hearing of the DOH where she inquired from the agency on the status of its ongoing review of the program.
The lawmaker listed several issues that emerged during the dialogue.
Among the issues were the need for better coordination with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for medical repatriation cases involving human trafficking or illegal recruitment, launching of psychosocial services for OFWs, and creating a database of medical practitioners based in host countries to provide immediate help to OFWs.
In line with these concerns, Magsino sought clarification about the status of the ongoing review of the IMRAP guidelines, particularly about the progress of the amendments discussed during the policy dialogue, along with the significant recommendations gathered.
DOH Undersecretary Kenneth Ronquillo acknowledged several challenges in the current medical repatriation set-up, including the refusal of hospitals to accommodate patients when at full capacity, necessitating the search for other facilities. Additionally, incomplete information from repatriates causes issues, as hospitals need complete data before providing urgent and appropriate care, he added.
Magsino lamented the response of the DOH on the lack of data on the issues concerned.
“Number one, it was discussed in our policy dialogue that we should have a desk, DOH Desk, in our airports because OWWA is already there. The information can be obtained from the OWWA and the DMW for every repatriation. So we can’t say that we don’t have complete data,” she said in Filipino.
Magsino also countered the concerns raised by Ronquillo about hospital shortages, explaining that the number of repatriates is unlikely to cause shortage with the numerous hospitals in Metro Manila alone. Furthermore, most OFWs, upon their return, prefer to go to their provinces, where regional hospitals are well-equipped to provide necessary care.
“The process should be continuous and seamless. However, in actuality, this does not happen all the time or does not happen as smoothly as the JMC envisioned, hence the need for amendments as soon as possible,” she added.
“If there are no revised guidelines yet, can we get a commitment from the DOH-Migrant Health Unit of a reasonable time-line for when we can expect the release of the revised IMRAP guidelines? IMRAP is a good idea,” Magsino said.
“Even before those in need of medical repatriation arrive in the country, the mechanism is already in place starting with the Migrant Welfare Office or the Philippine Embassy. Upon landing at the airport, our agencies such as MIAA, OWWA, and DOH will greet them until the patient is taken home or transferred to the hospital. And our help does not end there, the DSWD and PCSO programs for repatriated patients should have been involved,” she added.
Magsino said the OFW party-list group will continue with its advocacy to fight for the rights and welfare of the OFWs, including sufficient healthcare services, as their work abroad poses physical and mental stress on them.
