SENATOR Nancy Binay on Sunday thanked the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Commission on Higher Education for dropping the policy requiring college students to have medical insurance before participating in physical classes.

“Nagpapasalamat tayo sa IATF at CHED sa pagbawi ng requirement na dapat may medical insurance ang mga estudyanteng lalahok sa in-person classes,” Binay said.

“Bawas perwisyo ito sa mga estudyante’t pamilya nila, at reassuring din na nakikinig ang pamahalaan sa mga hinaing ng bayan,” she added.

The senator earlier urged the government to scrap the policy, which she said was onerous and unnecessary given that all Filipinos are automatic members of PhilHealth.

“Dapat ang requirement, simpleng vaxx card lang. Sinasabi ng iba, isang pindot lang ng app, at magbayad ka ng P500, may insurance ka na. May mali eh. Bakit kailangan papahirapan ang estudyante at magulang? Supposedly libre na nga dahil lahat covered ng PhilHealth,” Binay said.

Under Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care Law, all Filipinos are automatically enrolled in the National Health Insurance Program of PhilHealth.

“It takes humility to admit when one needs to correct things and take a step back. We learn from mistakes and make things better. I am glad that the IATF saw it unnecessary to further pursue the insurance requirement. Kung talagang di naman makabubuti o walang katuturan ang isang policy ay dapat itong bawiin o amyendahan,” the senator said.

The requirement for students to have health insurance was imposed as a condition for joining in-person classes this year.