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Republic of the Pbilippines
House of Representatives
Quejon City, Metro Manila
Nineteenth Congress

First Regular Session

*. House Bit No, 1285,

Introduced by:
HON. MARISSA “DEL MAR” MAGSINO-
OFW PARTYLIST

EXPLANATORY NOTE

To institute a National Health Program (NHIP) for all Filipinos, Republic Act No. 7875
was passed by Congress in 1995 for the purpose, and established the Philippine Health
Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to administer the program. Its Implementing Rules and
Regulations (PhilHealth Board Resolution No. 324-00) categorized Overseas Filipino Workers
(OFWs) as ‘individually-paying’ voluntary members. This law also provided a seat in the
corporation's Board of Directors representing the ‘labor sector’.

In 2013, Republic Act No. 10606 was enacted amending RA 7875. In this law, the term
“migrant workers’ was introduced and defined as ‘documented or undocumented Filipinos who
are engaged in a remunerated activity in another country of which they are not citizens’. It
retained a permanent seat in the Board of Directors for the representative of what it now
termed as ‘Filipino migrant worker’. Then in 2018, Republic Act No. 11223, also known as the
“Universal Health Care Law’, was passed instituting universal health care for all Filipinos and
prescribing reforms in the health care system. Under this law, migrant workers were
categorized as ‘direct contributors’ and their membership in the NHIP has become mandatory.

In 2021, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that around 1.83 million Filipinos
worked in various host countries around the world. Their economic importance to the country
is underscored by their record-breaking USD 34.88 billion remittances in 2021, accounting for
8.9% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the same year. Of this amount, roughly 7
billion USD was contributed by sea-based OFWs.

Filipino seafarers or sea-based OFWs as distinguished from their land-based
counterparts, is a critical segment of OFWs which offers invaluable services not only to the
country’s shipping industry but for most maritime companies around the world, According to
the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), around 229,000 Filipino


seafarers are on board merchant shipping vessels and cruise ships around the world at any
given time.

In recognition of the distinct and significant contributions of our Filipino seafarers or
sea-based OFWs to the economy and to the nation, this bill proposes to increase the
representation of Filipino migrant workers in the board of directors of the Philippine Health
Insurance Corporation to two (2) permanent members, one for land-based OFWs and another
for sea-based Filipino migrant workers, amending for the purpose Section 18 of Republic Act

No. 7875, as amended by Republic Act No. 10606.

Representation is at the core of democratic processes and is the link between the
representatives and the sectors or interests represented in ensuring that their true sentiments
and preferences are adopted in the decision-making processes.

For the foregoing reasons, the immediate consideration and approval of the foregoing

measure is earnestly urged.
~ Md On « ey S

HON. MARISSA ‘DEL MAR’ P. MAGSINO


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Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Queyon City, Meteo Manila
Nineteenth Congress

First Regular Session

4. “House BittNo, 7289
Introduced by:
HON, MARISSA “DEL MAR” MAGSINO
OFW PARTYLIST
EXPLANATORY NOTE

AN ACT
INCREASING THE REPRESENTATION OF FILIPINO MIGRANT WORKERS IN THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS OF THE PHILIPPINE HEALTH INSURANCE CORPORATION TO TWO (2)
PERMANENT MEMBERS, ONE EACH FOR LAND-BASED AND SEA-BASED FILIPINO
MIGRANT WORKERS

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

Section 1. Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7875, otherwise known as the ‘National Health
Insurance Act of 1995’, as amended by Republic Act No. 10606, is hereby further amended to
read as follows:

Section 18, The Board of Directors. -

(a) Composition. - The Corporation shall be governed by a Board of Directors hereinafter
referred to as the Board, composed of the following members:

‘The Secretary of Health;

‘The Secretary of Labor and Employment or a permanent representative;

The Secretary of the Interior and Local Government or a permanent representative;
‘The Secretary of Social Welfare and Development or a permanent representative;

‘The Secretary of the Department of Finance (DOF) or a permanent representative;


‘The President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Corporation;
‘The SSS Administrator or a permanent representative;
‘The GSIS General Manager or a permanent representative;

‘The Vice Chairperson for the basic sector of the National Anti-Poverty Commission or a
permanent representative;

‘The Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) or a permanent representative;
A permanent representative of LAND-BASED Filipino migrant workers;
A PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SEA-BASED FILIPINO MIGRANT WORKERS

A permanent representative of the members i

the informal economy;

A permanent representative of the members in the formal economy;

A representative of employe!

A representative of health care providers to be endorsed by their national associations
of health care institutions and medical health professionals;

A permanent representative of the elected local chief executives to be endorsed by the
League of Provinces, League of Cities and League of Municipalities; and,
‘An independent director to be appointed by the Monetary Board.

‘The Secretary of Health shall be the ex officio Chairperson while the President and CEO
of the Corporation shall be the Vice Chairperson of the Board.“

(b) Appointment and Tenure. ~ Except for ex officio members, the other members of the
Board shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines in accordance with the
Provisions of Republic Act No. 10149, otherwise known as the ‘GOCC Governance Act of
2011’: Provided, That sectoral board members shall be appointed by the President of the
Philippines upon the recommendation of the Chairperson and after due consultations
with the sectors concerned.

‘The term of office of the appointive members of the Board shalll be in accordance with
Republic Act No. 10149,

XXXXXXXXXX,

Section 2. Repealing Clause - All laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, other issuances or parts
thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 3. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved.