A firestorm of protest has met Executive Secretary Ralph Recto’s declaration to expand Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) benefits for direct contributors, but exclude the indirect contributors who comprise the majority, as reported by BusinessWorld.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer recognized the massive public interest impact, with the story becoming the banner headline of its July 3 issue. The headline highlighted the controversy surrounding the proposed policy change.
The rejoinder to Secretary Salceda underscores the principle of “walang iwanan” (no one left behind) in Universal Health Care, arguing that excluding indirect contributors undermines the law’s intent.