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Exempt OFWs from PhilHealth contribution: Sen. Raffy T. Tulfo supports an amendment to the Universal Health Care Act that will exempt overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) mandatory contribution. During Wednesday’s public hearing February 1, 2023 of the Committee on Health and Demography, Tulfo said that as chairman of the Committee on Migrant Workers, he is supporting the committee in pursuing alternative and long-term solutions that will help improve the lives of migrant workers. “It has come to my attention the alarming fact that the Universal Health Care Act, this important piece of legislation, has failed to address their needs. That is why I am here today to support the proposals for an amendment to the Universal Health Care Law, one that will address specific needs of our migrant workers and provide them with the support and protection they require,” Tulfo said in his opening statement. “I believe that we should exempt migrant workers from the requirement to pay contributions to PhilHealth. As it stands, these workers are paying into a system that does not fully address their health care needs due to the nature of their work and their status as overseas workers. This is simply unacceptable and it is time for us to provide them with a solution that works for them,” he added. (Voltaire F. Domingo /Senate PRIB)