The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), the largest employers' group in the Philippines, has backed Executive Secretary Ralph Recto's proposal to expand benefit packages for direct contributing members of the country's state insurer, PhilHealth.
ECOP said more than 33m Filipinos who regularly pay their premiums should receive benefits commensurate with their contributions, adding that employers have consistently sustained the country's health insurance system and therefore deserve meaningful, accessible and responsive healthcare benefits.
The confederation also urged PhilHealth to expand benefits for direct contributors, remove the 24-hour confinement requirement that limits access to benefits for qualified patients, and ensure that members' premium payments translate into tangible financial protection for them and their families.