The recent rise in illnesses and viruses has deprived Filipinos of various opportunities to live comfortably, making it an ongoing challenge in the country. Despite the passage of various legislations and initiatives aimed at addressing this problem, much remains to be done to ensure that the attainable standard of health is recognized as a fundamental right, rather than a privilege reserved for those who can afford its high costs.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has long recognized that every person is entitled to a standard of living adequate for their health and well-being, which includes access to medical care and necessary social services. In this context, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) lauds the Senate’s approval of Senate Bill (SB) No. 2620, which seeks to amend the current Universal Health Care Act, or Republic Act (RA) No. 11223. This development marks a significant step towards ensuring that our universal health coverage framework truly serves every Filipino’s right to health through the provision of accessible health facilities, goods, and services.

With 19 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and zero abstentions during the Senate’s plenary session, the proposed amendments focus on reducing the premium contribution for members of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth). Among the notable provisions is a benefit for Filipino migrant workers, under which 50 percent of their contributions will be shouldered by the Philippine government, with a guarantee that unpaid contributions will not be collected upon their return to the Philippines. Furthermore, failure to pay the PhilHealth contribution will no longer be grounds for denying migrant workers their overseas employment certificates.

Additionally, the amendment proposes suspensions on the increase of premium contribution rates in the event of a state emergency or calamity.

It is important to note that the Commission has previously expressed its full support for the enactment of bills pushing for the country’s Universal Health Coverage, including the Implementing Rules and Regulations when they were passed into law.[1][2] In fact, the CHR has also published its Position Paper on the Universal Health Coverage Bills, which affirms and recommends the proposed bill to “promote a human rights-based approach in addressing the needs of society […] in fulfilling the right to health of all Filipinos and all people in the Philippines.”[3]

The CHR commends the Senate for their swift action on this bill. We anticipate further initiatives and policies that promote the Filipinos’ right to health as a fundamental human right. It should be noted that SB No. 2620 is a consolidated version of the following Senate bills:

• SB No. 160, filed by Senators Joseph Victor G. Ejercito, Joel Villanueva, and Loren Legarda;
• SB No. 335, filed by Sen. Grace Poe;
• SB No. 644, filed by Sen. Imee Marcos;
• SB No. 723, filed by Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa;
• SB No. 770, filed by Sen. Sonny Angara; and
• SB Nos. 983 and 1791, filed by Sen. Ramon Revilla.

As the country’s independent national human rights institution, the CHR emphasizes that accessibility, adaptability, and acceptability should remain core principles in the implementation of the UHC Act. It is crucial that in implementing similar measures, promoting a human rights-based approach remains the primary goal in addressing the needs of Filipinos within the framework of a sustainable, accessible, and affordable healthcare system.

[1] Statement of the Commission on Human Rights on the passage of the Universal Health Coverage Bill, 07 October 2017 https://chr.gov.ph/statement-of-the-commission-on-human-rights-on-the-passage-of-the-universal-health-coverage-bill/

[2] Statement of CHR spokesperson, Atty Jacqueline Ann de Guia, commending the signing of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Universal Health Care Law, 15 October 2019 https://chr.gov.ph/statement-of-chr-spokesperson-atty-jacqueline-ann-de-guia-commending-the-signing-of-the-implementing-rules-and-regulations-of-the-universal-health-care-law/

[3] CHR Position Paper on the Universal Health Coverage Bills, 23 October 2018 https://chr.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Position-Paper-on-the-Universal-Health-Coverage-Bills.pdf