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| Protesters say the law must be amended to make the contribution truly voluntary |
The fight against mandatory and excessive increase in
PhilHealth premium continues.
Thus declared migrant leaders on Sunday, May 10, when they
staged another noise barrage or “kalampagan” on Chater Road
They also demanded amending certain provisions of Republic
Act 11223, or Universal Health-Care Law, to make PhilHealth membership voluntary.
They spoke as some 300 migrants, spacing themselves out on
Chater Road in line with Hong Kong’s social distancing protocol, banged steel pans,
basins, ladles, plastic bottles and blowing whistles to send their message
across to President Rodrigo Duterte.
Those who called for the scrapping of the mandatory
membership and premium increase were leaders belonging to the Rise Against
Government Exactions (Rage), a coalition formed to oppose mandatory government
fees levied on Filipino migrant workers.
They included Dolores Balladares of United Filipinos in Hong Kong , Sheila Tebia Bonifacio of Gabriela Hong Kong
and Alan Cayosa Mas of Federation of Active Luzon Groups (Flag).
“Nagsalita si Duterte at sinabi na gagawin daw na voluntary
ang membership sa PhilHealth at sinabi mismo … ni Health Secretary Francisco
Duque na isususpinde ang ating pagbabayad sa PhilHealth,” Balladares said.
But she said these assurances cannot be relied upon because
the law cannot be changed by a mere verbal order.
“Hindi po porke’t sinabi na boluntaryo ang membership sa
PhilHealth ay magkakaroon po iyan ng katuparan
o kaganapan. Hindi po kapag sinabi na isususpinde ang ating pagbabayad sa
PhilHealth ay magaganap na nang tuluyan iyan,” Balladares said.
She said OFWs must continue to fight the premium hike because,
unless the law is amended, membership in PhilHealth won’t be voluntary.
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| OFWs are making their voices heard through a noise barrage |
Under PhilHealth’s schedule of premium increase, OFWs are
made to pay both the employer’s and the employee’s share, which for 2020
amounts to 3% of the annual income of those earning between P10,000 and
Php60,000 a month.
The rate increases by half a percentage point per year until
it reaches 5% in 2024, with the income ceiling raised to Php100,000.
From Php2,400 a year previously, a Filipino helper earning
the minimum wage in Hong Kong is now required
to pay a premium of Php10,800. Those who make the ceiling income of Php60,000
will pay twice that amount, or Php21,600.
When Balladares signaled the start of the noise barrage, Chater Road
Cayosa said Rage submitted through the Consulate a petition addressed
to the Philippine government signed by 10,000 OFWs against the mandatory
PhilHealth coverage in November last year. But he said the issue remains
unresolved.
“Mukhang hindi tayo pinapakinggan ng gobyerno,”Cayosa said,
eliciting howls of approval. “Kung hindi tayo manghihinaing, manahimik na lang
at bayad nang bayad, ang kawawa ay ang pamilya natin sa Pilipinas.”
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| Mas says HK OFWs have been opposing mandatory PhilHealth membership since last year |
Tebia echoed the workers’ sentiment on PhilHealth but also slammed
Duterte’s supporters, in particular the Emilio Aguinaldo group, which hung
posters condemning groups allegedly aligned with the communist New People’s
Army at the rally site.
The posters which were tied on railings right behind the Chater
spot where the leaders spoke, displayed the names of Unifil, Migrante, Bayan,
Gabriela and other Filipino militant groups insinuating they are part of the NPA.
Tebia angrily said that the DDS had used the event to push
government black propaganda against their groups.
“Bakit, may NPA ba dito sa Hong Kong ?”
(Why, are there NPAs here in Hong Kong ?) she
asked and the crowd shouted “wala!” (none!) When she asked the crowd what those
people are called, they shouted “taksil!” (traitors).
Eman Villanueva, Bayan HK and Macau
chairman said at the sidelines of the rally that the workers’ response to the
protest against the PhilHealth levy was heartening.
“Ang tawag namin sa ganitong isyu ay dikit-bituka eh. Hindi
ito kayang pasubalian. Sa totoo lang, maraming dating tagasuporta ni Duterte ang
galit na galit sa polisiyang ito,” Villanueva said when asked for comment.
(We regard this issue as gut-linked. It cannot be ignored.
In truth, many of Duterte’s former supporters are very angry at this policy).
“Kaya ang tingin namin, yung isyu mismo ay nagbibigay ng
batayan para magsama-sama talaga yung mga OFW dito sa Hong
Kong para sama-samang tutulan yung polisiya.
(So we think this issue serves as a basis for OFWs in Hong Kong to link up to oppose the policy).
He said the noise barrage showed OFWs’ rejection of Duterte’s
assurance that PhilHealth membership
will be made voluntary because in truth, only an amendment of the law will
ensure that they won’t be forced to pay the jacked-up premiums.
“Ang puwede lang namang gawin nila, i-delay o i-defer. Ibig
sabihin, yung implementing rules and regulations ay hindi muna ilalabas o
ipapatupad, ilang provisions aalisin, pero temporary lang iyan eh,” Villanueva
said.
(All they can do is delay or defer (its implementation).
Meaning, the IRR won’t be released or implemented yet, or they will take out
some provisions, but that’s just temporary).
“Ibig sabihin, baka hinihintay lang nila na mawala o humupa
ang galit at saka nila itutuloy,” he said.
(It means, they are probably just waiting for the workers’
anger to dissipate or disappear before implementing the law).
