Press Release
September 20, 2008

ANGARA SEEKS TO PROVIDE HEALTH INSURANCE TO CHILDREN OF POOR FAMILIES
With more children exposed to health risks

Sen. Edgardo J. Angara said today that the country needs a more comprehensive health insurance program that will benefit children from poor families.

This is after the United Nation Children's Fund (UNICEF) report revealed that Philippines has the second highest level in under-five mortality (73,265) and a large portion of these deaths is caused by poor sanitation.

"Poor sanitation translates to unwanted social costs, as well as profound impact on the quality of our children's' life. The ill-effects of poor sanitation affect our country's health condition and one of the most vulnerable from these risks is our children." said Angara, who authored the National Health Insurance Law or the PhilHealth Act.

He added, "Poor families would usually forego health care and put more of their resources on food consumption. This results to a condition wherein health care is neglected, insufficient, worse absent."

According to a World Bank report, infant mortality rates for babies below 5 years old are 2.3 - 2.7 times higher for households in the poorest groups in the country. Even among pre-school age children, the national estimates for the prevalence of malnutrition reveal that 31 out of every 100 children (30.6%) are underweight. Worse are the school-age children wherein 33 out of every 100 children (32.9%) are underweight for their age.

"These statistics highlight the difference in living standards and access to health care. That is why I am working on expanding our National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) to include our children which is the most uninsured population in our country," he said.

Angara filed a bill which seeks to insure children of poor families through a Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

The CHIP is designed for low-income families who cannot afford to insure the health needs of their children. With the implementation of a CHIP under the NHIP, eligible low-income children shall be entitled to a full range of health services including regular checkups, immunizations, prescription drugs, lab tests, X- rays, hospital and clinic visits, durable medical equipments, hospital visits, dental and eye care.

"Let us make our children not only dependents but beneficiaries as well. Although PhilHealth has been successful in expanding health insurance base in the country, we must continue to explore ways in making it even more responsive to changing times and the needs of our people especially the uninsured children of our poor." Angara said.

Angara has authored and pushed for significant laws in health and social welfare including Senior Citizen's Act, the PhilHealth Law and the Magna Carta for Public Health Workers.

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