Children have the right to the basic necessities of life, like having food to eat, a safe place to call home, clothing to keep them protected, and medicines and access to healthcare. Providing these basic necessities become all the more challenging when the kids have no parents or caretakers to call their own.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development, or better known as the DSWD, have their work cut out for them. They’re tasked, among other things, to take care of Filipino children, most parentless, or have been abused by their own families and now call the DSWD their safe haven.
The DSWD cares for over 3,000 children all over the country, providing basic services such as food, clothing, and shelter, using government funds. Under the government’s universal healthcare program, the children will now be able to get insurance coverage under the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., better known as PhilHealth.
To celebrate the 21st anniversary of PhilHealth, a memorandum of agreement was signed between PhilHealth and the DSWD, making these children members of PhilHealth. The corporation usually accepts members who are 21 years old and above, but the DSWD children were exempted from the age requirement.
They also consider the DSWD as the “parents” of the abandoned, surrendered, neglected, abused, and orphaned children, for as long as the children are properly certified as such and registered with the DSWD. For a yearly premium of P2,400, three children will be able to enjoy the benefits of PhilHealth. The premium will be paid for by the DSWD.
The children staying with the DSWD and in its accredited institutions are but the first ones to avail of this program. PhilHealth will soon provide the same coverage to parentless and abused children who are under the care of private institutions in the country.
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