Via GRAPHIC PLUS — In a landmark collaboration bridging public health and social justice, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) joined forces yesterday for a learning forum titled “Health as a Human Right: Bridging the Healthcare Divide.”

The forum brought together health and social justice leaders and civil society organizations (CSOs) to reinforce a critical principle that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental human right and a core state obligation.
Discussions focused on the urgent need to shift the national healthcare paradigm away from purely treating illnesses toward robust, state-funded investment in preventive and primary healthcare.

The joint initiative aligns with global efforts by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to mainstream human rights in health governance and Universal Health Care (UHC) implementation. By anchoring domestic healthcare delivery on a rights-based framework, PhilHealth and CHR aim to improve equitable access to care especially for the marginalized, vulnerable communities.

The forum highlighted the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) as one of the government’s critical programs for the progressive realization of UHC. By making primary care access points and preventive care more available, the state ensures that every Filipino is protected from financial burden due to medical emergencies.
“Healthcare is a cornerstone of human dignity,” said PhilHealth President and CEO Dr. Edwin M. Mercado, who is leading the activity. “Through PhilHealth YAKAP, we are transforming our healthcare system to ensure that primary and preventive care are accessible to every Filipino, regardless of their economic status. This is our commitment to fulfilling the promise of Universal Health Care.”
CHR Commissioner Judge Maria Amifaith S. Fider-Reyes (Ret.), who co-led the forum, emphasized that the right to health is inextricably linked to the dignity and right to life itself.

The Commission reiterates its commitment to working alongside PhilHealth, civil society, and all stakeholders in ensuring that the right to health is not an abstract promise but a lived reality for every Filipino.