BALANGA CITY — The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has expanded access to quality and affordable healthcare in Bataan through the launch of the first accredited private Guaranteed Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (GAMOT) pharmacy at Orion St. Michael Hospital.
Launched on May 1, the program established the facility as the first accredited private Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) clinic and GAMOT pharmacy in Orion, providing expanded preventive and primary healthcare services to PhilHealth members.
Under the initiative, members may access health screening, medical consultations and prescriptions, laboratory tests, 21 essential medicines, and up to 54 additional essential medicines with an annual medicine coverage of up to P20,000 per member.
PhilHealth Regional Office III Acting Vice President Ma. Emily Roque emphasized the importance of making healthcare services more accessible to communities.
“Nandito na po ang YAKAP at GAMOT at kami ay talagang nagpapasalamat sa suporta ninyo sa programang ito dahil kailangan kasi talagang maramdaman ng bawat mamamayan ng Bataan, ngayon dito sa Orion, na mayroon silang kasama sa tuwing sila ay nagkakasakit (YAKAP and GAMOT are now here, and we are truly grateful for your support for this program because it is really important for every citizen of Bataan, and now here in Orion, to feel that they are not alone whenever they get sick),” Roque said.
Meanwhile, PhilHealth Bataan head Edmond Manuel highlighted the agency’s push toward preventive healthcare to help patients avoid serious illnesses through early intervention.
“Nandito na tayo sa preventive side kasi ayaw natin na ang pasyente pupunta na malala at kung minsan mag-50-50 na kung kaya naman na nating ayusin sa simula (We are already on the preventive side because we don’t want patients to come in when their condition is already severe, and sometimes it’s already a 50-50 chance of survival when we could have addressed it at the very beginning),” Manuel said.
Hospital officials likewise underscored their commitment to delivering compassionate and complete care to PhilHealth members through the YAKAP and GAMOT programs.
According to the hospital management, they aim to make members feel that they are fully cared for through accessible services, compassionate treatment, and complete medical assistance.
The initiative supports the national government’s efforts to bring quality healthcare services closer to communities and strengthen preventive healthcare under the Universal Health Care program, ensuring that more Filipinos can access timely medical consultation, medicines, and primary care services.
