IN THE wake of the call of Senator Imee Marcos, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, said it is strongly considering a temporary suspension of premium contribution collections.
PhilHealth said it is in consultation with other government agencies regarding the possibility of suspending deductions from worker wages amid the Middle East crisis.
"Currently, PhilHealth is in contact with economic managers and awaiting guidance from MalacaƱang on other possible steps," PhilHealth said.
"We ensure that any decision will remain in accordance with the law to maintain stable services for every member," PhilHealth added.
For the meantime, the state-run health insurer said direct contributors should avail of the one-time waiver of interest for unpaid premium contributions.
Under the program, employers with missed premium contributions covering July 2013 to December 2024 may settle obligations within a dedicated one-year window.
"As an immediate relief, a one-time waiver of premium penalties for past-due premiums of employers and self-paying members is currently being implemented," PhilHealth said.
"We encourage direct contributors to take advantage of this penalty condonation scheme to ease their expenses," PhilHealth added.
Earlier, Marcos called on the Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG), and PhilHealth to implement a temporary suspension of collections.
Marcos said temporarily suspending salary deductions allows workers to receive wages in full and helps them cope with the rising cost of living. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)