The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the Office of the Transport Cooperatives (OTC) have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation to ensure the provision of health insurance coverage to the members of transportation service cooperatives (TSCs) including their qualified dependents.
PhilHealth President and CEO Atty. Dante A. Gierran and OTC Office-in-Charge Engr. Eugene M. Pabualan led the virtual signing ceremony in Pasig City and in Quezon City respectively.
Under the agreement, the two agencies shall collaborate to ensure that OTC members will be adequately provided with timely information on their PhilHealth benefits as well as important pertinent provisions of the Universal Health Care Law.
PhilHealth also commits to facilitate the membership registration of over 610,000 TSC officers, members and employees while the OTC pledges to assist the state health insurer to heighten their members’ awareness on PhilHealth benefits and services.
Gierran acknowledged the critical role of public transportation especially at this time of the pandemic. “Napakahalaga ng inyong papel sa pagtugon sa pang araw-araw na biyahe ng ordinaryong mamamayan upang makarating sa kanilang paroroonan at mapayapa ring makauwi sa kanilang mga pamilya”, Gierran said in his short message prior to the actual signing ceremony. He further reiterated PhilHealth’s commitment not only to OTC members but to all Filipinos on their automatic inclusion into the National Health Insurance Program under the UHC.
On the other hand, Pabualan committed that OTC “will ensure that Transport Service Cooperatives and their members will not only access the right information on the benefits of being PhilHealth members, but also commit to embracing the importance of securing their health protection and wellness”.
The two agencies also pledged to continuously work together and exert efforts to ensure the active participation of organizations in their respective programs such as the National Health Insurance Program, Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program and Cooperativism.
