HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin said that application of membership on Philippine Health Insurance Corp. should be made individually, stressing that even the new born should immediately be members of the  national insurance.

“We should have individual membership, hindi siya per family… ‘Yung isang bata kunyari anak ko by virtue of being dependent pagdating niya ng 18 years old hindi na siya miyembro. ‘Pag nagkaanak ‘yan at nanganak siya, hindi siya miyembro ng PhilHealth, at ‘yung anak naman niya, hindi rin ma-cocover kapag nagkasakit,” the former Department of Health secretary explained on Thursday.

“Dapat ‘yan talaga individual membership, pagkapanganak miyembro, kapag namatay tanggal sa lista,” Garin added.

Garin made her statement after the five percent premium increase in PhilHealth contribution.

Republic Act No. 11223, or the Universal Health Care Act, provides that an increase of 0.5 percent every year in membership premiums is implemented, starting year 2021 and until it reaches the 5-percent limit in year 2025.

The House committee on appropriations vice chairperson also noted that PhilHealth should give adequate programs and services for its members.

“Paano mo naman iincrease kung ‘yung serbisyo ng PhilHealth ay hindi akma doon sa minimum expectation ng ating mga kababayan,” Garin pointed out.

According to Malacañang, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has been studying theappeal of Health Secretary Ted Herbosa to suspend the implementation of premium rate increase this year.

“Lahat ng ginagawa natin sa pang araw-araw, edukasyon, trabaho at agrikultura, all of these vacuum to health. Health is the core of our economy and existence. Kaya dapat umayos ang PhilHealth,” Garin ended.