THE ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers welcomed the suspension of the scheduled 4.5-percent Philhealth premium increase this year.

The group called for the scrapping of the remaining scheduled increases on Philhealth premiums until 2025 under the Universal Health Care Law. It said that the previous hikes proved to be onerous to contributors.

“Dapat lang na hindi ipatupad ang pagtataas ng Philhealth premium contributions sa gitna ng matinding krisis pang-ekonomiya, lubha ang taas ng presyo ng mga bilihin at walang makabuluhang dagdag-sahod sa mga manggagawa at kawani,” Vladimer Quetua, the group’s chairperson, said.

“Our teachers were really burdened by last year’s Philhealth premium hike from 3 percent to 4 percent as it effected a significant reduction on our take home pay. We were really hurt financially as amid the soaring inflation in the second half of 2022, the hike was arbitrarily implemented from June to December, including the retroactive collection of premium increases for the months of January to May,” Quetua added.

The group argued that the services of the state’s health insurance corporation are unsatisfactory and its fund management has been haunted with controversies.

“Habang hirap na hirap kaming magbayad ng Philhealth contributions, kumikita naman ito ng bilyun-bilyon kahit sa gitna ng pandemya kung kailan mas marami ang na-ospital. Noong 2020 ay may net income itong P30 bilyon at P32.8 bilyon naman noong 2021. Patunay na walang pangangailangan para itaas ang kontribusyon,” Quetua said.