The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is pushing to bring its Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (Yakap) to every corner of the country before the year ends.
Initially introduced in Metro Manila last July, PhilHealth President and CEO Edwin Mercado explained that the agency is ironing out operational gaps in the capital before moving to a broader rollout.
“Our target is that at the end of the year, we’ll have Phase 4 implementation,” Mercado emphasized.
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Offering Wider Access to Essential Medicines
One of Yakap’s key features is the Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment, which currently provides 75 free medicines with an annual ceiling of P20,000 per patient. Mercado noted that this list represents only a small portion of their planned coverage and assured the public that more drugs will be added before the year ends.
“75 is just a fraction of what we consider essential,” Mercado explained, adding that expansion of the list is already in progress.
PhilHealth has also stepped up efforts to bring more pharmacies into the program. As of September 30, 304 pharmacies nationwide have been accredited, with 56 of those located in Metro Manila. Mercado said major pharmacy chains are ready to participate as soon as the national expansion kicks off.
“Pharmacy chains are waiting to start. Now that they have experience in Manila, they’re also talking to us about their branches in other parts of the country,” he pointed out.
Boosted Funding to Support Expansion
The Yakap program, formerly known as Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama (Konsulta), is backed by a P15.3-billion budget. Its upcoming nationwide rollout is expected to make essential medical services more accessible, particularly for Filipinos in underserved communities.
Mercado also welcomed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to add P60 billion to PhilHealth’s funds, saying it would ensure the sustainability of the program and allow the agency to widen its coverage further.
For ordinary Filipinos, the expanded Yakap program could mean lower out-of-pocket costs for essential medicines and outpatient services, an important boost for families who often struggle with healthcare expenses. By accrediting more pharmacies nationwide and expanding its medicine list, PhilHealth aims to make quality healthcare more reachable, especially for those in far-flung or low-income communities.
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