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| Balladares-Pelaez gave the signal for the start of the multi-site noise barrage from Chater Road |
Filipino migrant groups have staged a “special edition” noise
barrage in Central to demand the scrapping of mandatory membership in PhilHealth,
which they warned will resume collecting sharply higher premiums this month.
Scores of overseas Filipino workers simultaneously banged
pans, railings, plastic bottles and other receptacles at 2pm yesterday Sunday, after
a signal from Dolores Balladares-Pelaez, chairperson of the United Filipinos in
Hong Kong , on Chater Road
Other groups of migrants at Tamar Park, Hong Kong Bank, Star
Ferry Pier, General Post Office and City Hall Bus 13 stop joined in the noise
barrage to protest the collection of no less than 450% of the current premium
paid by OFWs.
The protesters based their claim from a television interview
on May 16 by Dr Shirley Domingo, PhilHealth spokesperson and vice president for
corporate affairs, who said all
Filipinos working and living abroad will be charged the new rate
starting Jun 1.
Under RA 11223 which took effect in December last year, all
migrant workers must pay 3% of their monthly salary to PhilHealth. This means
OFWs who used to pay a fixed annual premium of Php2,800 will now be forced to
shell out no less than Php10,800 per year.
It is unclear, however, how the mandatory collection could
be enforced as the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has publicly
stated that it will not allow the overseas employment certificate, which OFWs need to fly out of the country, linked to the
payment of PhilHealth premium.
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| OFWs make noise to call for voluntary PhilHealth membership and lower premium |
Responding to angry protests from hundreds of thousands of
OFWs, President Rodrigo Duterte also directed on May 4 that contributions to
PhilHealth would only voluntary amid the raging pandemic.
However, no written directive was issued to this effect, and
PhilHealth has maintained its right to collect the mandatory contribution under
RA 11223, also known as the Universal Health Care Act.
Balladares-Pelaez said it is necessary to show the
government that the OFWs are united in opposing mandatory membership and the
new PhilHealth premiums.
Last Wednesday, Migrante International leaders renewed in a
global online rally their call against mandatory PhilHealth contribution and
urged all Filipino workers to support House Bill 6698 which seeks to amend the
law to make membership voluntary.
