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MANILA, Philippines — The premium rate hikes of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) may be imposed after the country’s inflation declines at a “more comfortable level.”
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said this on Tuesday as he commended President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s order for PhilHealth to suspend the premium rate hike this year.
“It shows that the President knows and acts on the needs of our countrymen by bringing down the daily cost of expenses that everyone is burdened with especially during this time of high inflation affecting everything from food to fuel,” Zubiri told reporters in a message.
“The premium rate hikes may be established after we have brought down our inflation rate at a more comfortable level in the near future,” he continued.
The country’s inflation jumped to a 14-year high of 8 percent in November last year.
Marcos’ move, said Zubiri, would ease up the public’s burdens in these “difficult times” coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the rate hike suspension, Zubiri said that workers will have a “larger take-home pay.”
Marcos’ order deferred the scheduled hike in the PhilHealth premium rate from 4 percent to 4.5 percent and the income ceiling from P80,000 to P90,000 this year.
The President noted that the pandemic has resulted in several socioeconomic challenges for Filipinos, hence, making such an order.
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