PhilHealth eyes schools to boost YAKAP enrollment

MANILA — PhilHealth is looking to use schools as a major entry point to expand enrollment in its flagship preventive healthcare program YAKAP (Yaman sa Kalusuguan), as it works toward its goal of reaching 60 million Filipinos by 2027.

The state health insurer plans to bring YAKAP registration and preventive primary healthcare services closer to students, teachers and non-teaching personnel, potentially making it easier for millions of Filipinos to access medical consultations, screening, laboratory services and medicines under the program.

Speaking to ABS-CBN News, PhilHealth President and CEO Dr. Beverly Ho said around 26 million of the 60 million Filipinos they aim to reach were in schools.

But more than increasing registration numbers, Ho said bringing YAKAP to schools could help identify health problems among children and young people at an early stage. Some conditions, she said, could even affect their ability to learn.

“Whether that’s making sure na mata nila, hindi na ba sila nakakabasa, kaya hindi sila nakaka-catch up sa school or may developmental disabilities tayo na pinag-uusapan, sa autism spectrum ba sila? Mahalaga na ma-screen yun ng maaga. And it’s really the YAKAP provider who will do the first level of screening,” she said.

Under the approach being developed by PhilHealth and its partner agencies, schools can serve as convenient venues for basic health screening and early detection, with students referred for further assessment or treatment when necessary. This is particularly important for conditions that may not immediately be recognized by parents or teachers.

Health Secretary Edwin Mercado said introducing preventive healthcare in schools could also help establish healthier habits among children at an early age.

“Madali po natin, ma-inculcate na natin yung values na yun early in life. Dahil may programa po tayo para sa mga malalabo o mata. Akala natin may hinahabol matuto, yung pala hindi nakikita yung mga nakasulat sa blackboard,” he said.

The initiative could also encourage families to seek medical care earlier, rather than waiting until an illness becomes severe.

PhilHealth added that teachers and non-teaching personnel could benefit from having YAKAP services available in schools.

Ho said previous surveys shared by the Department of Education indicate that a significant proportion of teachers also have health conditions that require regular monitoring and medication.

“The YAKAP and gamot program can really help them with their maintenance meds, getting their regular labs done,” she said. 

For teachers with chronic conditions, easier access to regular consultations, laboratory tests and maintenance medicines could help them manage their illnesses without having to make separate trips to healthcare facilities.

As of the latest figures provided by PhilHealth, about 17 million Filipinos are registered with YAKAP, well below the agency’s target of 60 million by 2027.

On Wednesday, PhilHealth and its partner agencies brought health screening services to the Philippine Science High School, where more than 1,400 students and around 360 school personnel were given access to services.

These included mental health, vision, dental and nutrition screening.

The activity serves as a model for how YAKAP could be integrated into the school environment, where large numbers of students and personnel can be reached in a single setting.

Health officials acknowledged that many school clinics lacked the capacity to provide the full range of services that could be needed. This is why the Department of Health said it would work with other government agencies, including the Department of Education and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, to expand access.

“Unfortunately, yung mga school clinics ng DepEd hindi pa capable. So ito, ina-elevate namin yung capabilities by engaging muna a third party para mag-provide ng services. Sa ngayon, outsourced muna in most cases ang gagawin,” Mercado said. 

For PhilHealth, schools could become one of the most important channels for reaching its ambitious enrollment target.

Mercado said they were targeting 23 million YAKAP registrations from the school sector by the end of the Marcos administration.