Overseas Filipino workers, long hailed as the nation’s lifeline, may finally get a break from another financial burden.
ML party-list Representative Leila De Lima, together with Representatives Arlene Bag-ao and Cielo Krisel Lagman, has filed House Bill 6355, a measure that seeks to exempt OFWs from mandatory PhilHealth contributions.
Their message is simple: OFWs already sacrifice so much — why add more weight on their shoulders?
A Push for Fairness and Social Justice
The bill aims to amend the Universal Health Care Act (RA 11223) by removing OFWs from the list of direct contributors.
If passed, their PhilHealth payments will become voluntary, not mandatory.
In their statement, the lawmakers stressed:
“OFWs deserve relief from redundant and excessive burdens.
Making PhilHealth contributions voluntary is a matter of fairness and social justice.”
They added that while PhilHealth coverage extends to an OFW’s dependents, the same protection can be offered through more flexible contribution schemes — without draining the pockets of workers already supporting families across oceans.
Why Mandatory Fees Don’t Make Sense for OFWs
Under the current law, PhilHealth premiums have steadily increased:
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2.75% of monthly salary in 2019
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Rising to 5% in 2025
Yet many OFWs cannot even use the benefits they’re paying for.
Lagman pointed out a painful truth:
“Most OFWs are land-based. If they get sick, they aren’t here.
There are no PhilHealth-accredited hospitals abroad.
They contribute, but don’t benefit.”
For lawmakers, this is unacceptable — and long overdue for correction.
A Step Toward Real Support for Overseas Workers
As the bill moves forward, supporters hope it will offer OFWs the respect and relief they’ve long earned.
After all, these workers keep the country standing — and they deserve policies that truly stand with them.
