Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre called for the immediate passage of a bill seeking to amend the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act, which has been pending before the House Committee on Health since July 2025.
Under House Bill No. 2, which Acidre co-authored, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) would no longer be required to shoulder the full cost of their Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) premiums. The proposal provides that half of the contribution would be subsidized by the national government, while the remaining half would be covered by employers.
The measure aims to ease what Acidre described as the “mounting financial pressure” faced by OFWs due to inflation, rising remittance costs, and increasingly restrictive employment conditions in host countries.
“The proposed law of former Speaker Martin 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,” Acidre said in a statement.
“Requiring them to pay more for health coverage would be unfair, especially amid mounting global economic challenges.”
“This is a corrective measure. Universal health care must be universal in protection, not universal in burden,” he added.
Economists have earlier warned that rising housing, food, and medical costs abroad are eroding the real income gains of OFWs. Labor groups have likewise raised concerns over mandatory contributions that are difficult to access while working overseas, with some OFW organizations noting that such payments discourage workers on short-term contracts.
Acidre said further delays in approving the proposed amendments would be a “missed opportunity” to support millions of OFWs amid continued global uncertainty.
Proposed changes to the UHC Act, however, were previously deferred following opposition from the medical community. Healthcare professionals from the Health Professionals Alliance Against Covid-19, the Philippine Medical Association, and other labor groups have warned that reducing current premium rates could affect the sustainability and financial stability of PhilHealth.
