Eastern Visayas Media Without Borders
WITH overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) facing rising living costs abroad and renewed scrutiny over social protection programs, lawmakers are pushing for the swift passage of House Bill (HB) No. 2, a measure that seeks to exempt millions of migrant workers from mandatory PhilHealth premium payments.
The bill, principally authored by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, is now being cited by lawmakers as a timely response to the mounting financial pressure on Filipino workers overseas amid inflation, higher remittance costs, and stricter employment conditions in host countries.
House Committee on Higher and Technical Education Chairman Jude A. Acidre, co-author, of Tingog Party-list said House Bill No. 2 remains pending before the House Committee on Health and is currently undergoing refinement at the technical working group (TWG) level.
Under HB No. 2, overseas Filipino workers would no longer be required to directly pay PhilHealth premiums.
Instead, the national government would shoulder half of the contribution, with the other half to be covered by employers.
Any unused subsidy would be redirected to enhance PhilHealth benefits or lower future premiums.
“The proposed law of former Speaker Romualdez reflects the fact that OFWs contribute far more than their fair share to the economy, sending home remittances, paying taxes, and making sacrifices that keep families and businesses going. Requiring them to pay more for health coverage would be unfair, especially amid mounting global economic challenges,” Acidre said.
According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), remittances remain resilient, but economists have warned that real income gains for migrant workers are being eroded by higher housing, food, and medical costs overseas.
Labor groups have also reported growing dissatisfaction among OFWs over mandatory contributions they say are difficult to access while abroad.
He said the bill addresses long-standing equity issues in the Universal Health Care system.
Several OFW organizations have said mandatory payments discouraged enrollment, particularly among land-based workers on short-term contracts.
Health policy experts also note that the measure aligns with global best practices, where migrant workers’ health insurance is typically shared between employers and host governments rather than imposed solely on the worker.
“This is a corrective measure,” said Acidre. “Universal health care must be universal in protection, not universal in burden.”
He said delays on the approval would mean missed opportunities to provide relief to millions of Filipino workers amid continuing global uncertainty.
If enacted, HB No. 2 would mark one of the most significant policy shifts affecting OFWs’ welfare in recent years, reinforcing the government’s commitment to protect migrant workers not just as economic contributors, but as citizens entitled to fair and accessible social services. (END)
