PIA Director General Jose Torres Jr. (center), PIA NCR Regional Head Emver Cortez (right) , and Dr. Bernadette Lico, PhilHealth Vice-President and concurrent National Capital Region (NCR) office chief, show the signed  Memorandum of Understanding that will be undertaken by both parties to strengthen public awareness on Philhealth’s e-KonSulTa Program Monday, September 4, 2023 at PIA in Quezon City. Also in photo PhilHealth NCR personnel Melanie Luczon, Joed Aldin Cruz, and Raymond Acoba. (Photo by Janna Pineda/PIA-NCR)

QUEZON CITY, (PIA) — The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the Philippine Information Agency tie-up on Monday to boost public awareness on the provision of free maintenance medicines, medical consultations, and laboratory tests under the country’s Universal Health Care (UHC) Law.

“This momentous collaboration aimed to strengthen the dissemination of information on the PhilHealth KonSulTa Program, an initiative meant to bring significant healthcare services closer to our fellow Filipinos,” said Dr. Bernadette Lico, PhilHealth Vice-President and concurrent National Capital Region (NCR) office chief, after both agencies formalized their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony held at the PIA Central Office in Quezon City for the implementation and promotion of the KonSulTa Program (Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama) in the Philippines starting in Metro Manila.

The PhilHealth Konsulta Benefit Package encompasses a comprehensive range of services, incorporating precise health risk evaluation, initial and subsequent medical consultations, routine laboratory examinations, as well as a selection of 21 essential medications.

These medicines encompass commonly prescribed anti-hypertensive drugs, such as enalapril, metoprolol, amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and losartan, all of which are in accordance with the medications outlined in the Philippine National Formulary.

“In a time when information is paramount… proper and accurate information must be conveyed to the public. With this MOU, PhilHealth and PIA highlights the power of working together to empower the Filipinos with knowledge that matters,” Lico added.

PIA Director-General Joe Torres, Jr. and PIA-NCR Regional Director Emver Cortez participated on behalf of the public information and communication agency of the national government.

The primary objective of this collaboration is to enhance the awareness and accessibility of the KonSulTa Program, an integral component of the UHC program, firstly among all employees of PIA.

Next, will be a nationwide publicity campaign encouraging all PhilHealth members to register and avail themselves of the KonSulTa Benefit Package, with registration may be done through self-registration via the member portal at www.philhealth.gov.ph or at any PhilHealth Local Insurance Offices in their area.

Torres, on his part, assured the support of his entire organization, in addition to the replication of the partnership in other regions.

“The reason why I congratulated all of you here in NCR is because you are the first [to enter a partnership] after the program launch was announced. The PIA already started [its engagement] through the efforts of NCR,” DG Torres said

“We aim to include its promotion with our information caravan,” he added.

Under the terms of the MOU, PhilHealth will actively engage with PIA-NCR by setting up onsite registration facilities for KonSulTa beneficiaries.

This initiative aims to streamline the enrollment process for PIA employees and their dependents who wish to avail themselves of the KonSulTa Benefit Package.

“We will include its publicity and use all the platforms of PIA-NCR, not only on social media, but also with our network and linkages on-ground,” Cortez said, on his part.

Additionally, PhilHealth, in close coordination with PIA-NCR, will closely monitor and promote the KonSulTa program in line with the overarching goals of the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) and the UHC Law.

Any amendments or issuances affecting the KonSulTa program will be promptly communicated to PIA and its employees.

PIA-NCR is entrusted with several key responsibilities under the MOU. These include facilitating membership registration under the NHIP and ensuring smooth enrollment in the KonSulTa program for its employees.

The agency will also oversee the implementation of the program among its staff and conduct an informative campaign to educate both employees and their dependents, as well as the wider Filipino public, about the vital aspects of the program.

The campaign will cover the benefits, procedures for availing them, and related rights and responsibilities.

To make the enrollment process more accessible, PIA-NCR will place conspicuous signages featuring the KonSulTa Logo and QR Code within its premises, simplifying registration for employees and their dependents.

Moreover, the agency will incorporate information about the KonSulTa Program, its benefits, and the enrollment process in its instructional materials on PIA's official newsletter, i-Hayag. (PIA-NCR)