This post is dedicated to women OFWs or OFW women who are sacrificing abroad to support their families in the Philippines. Saludo ako sa inyo.
While you’re working abroad, we suggest na isa sa huwag ninyong kaligtaan ay ang inyong Philhealth membership. Lalo na sa OFW women na merong chance na mabuntis: yong bata pa, yong merong asawa, yong merong boyfriend o fiance, yong laging nagbabakasyon, o yong uuwi na at hindi na babalik pa sa abroad.
Dito sa blog na ito, maraming sumusulat na OFW women na pregnant na sila at gusto nilang mag-avail ng Philhealth maternity benefits. Kaya lang, hindi na sila puedeng maka-avail kasi hindi nila na-renew on time yong Philhealth membership nila as OFW, o hindi sila naka-member as Voluntary Member pagbalik sa Pilipinas.
Sa Philhealth, special ang OFWs, ino-honor nila ang sacrifices ng OFWs at tulong sa Philippine economy, kaya mas mura ang Philhealth premiums ng OFWs — 900 pesos lang for 12 months. At puedeng gamitin agad, hindi katulad ng Employed Members or Voluntary Members na mag-antay muna sila ng mga months bago nila magamit.
Sa OFWs, magagamit ang Philhealth benefits within sa dates na nakalagay sa resibo — Validity dates, halimbawa September 2011 to August 2012. Puede rin silang magbayad ng two years or more, depende sa length ng overseas job contract.
Kaya, sa mga OFW women, kapag malapit nang mag-expire ang inyong Philhealth membership na nakasaad sa inyong Philhealth receipts, magpa-renew kayo sa family or relatives nio na nasa Philippines. Pag umuwi kayo at matagal pa bago kayo makabalik abroad, o ayaw nio nang bumalik sa abroad, mag-member agad kayo as Voluntary Member or Individually Paying Member.
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Malaking tulong din ang Philhealth sa gastos sa panganganak — up to 8,000 pesos for Normal Delivery and up to 19,000 pesos for Cesarean Delivery. Meron pang up to 1,750 pesos na tulong for newborn care.
Pag OFW members, makakakuha ng maternity benefits kapag ang panganganak ay within sa Validity Dates sa Philhealth receipt.
Pag Voluntary or Individually Paying Members, 9 months of payments bago month of panganganak ang kelangan (9 months within the 12-month period prior to delivery).
Napansin nio na siempre na kasabay ng OEC ninyo ay yong Philhealth membership at payment ninyo. I-xerox nio ang resibo at ibigay sa pamilya para meron silang kopya, para sa pagkuha ng MDR o pag-renew ng membership. Habang nasa abroad kayo, huwag ninyong kaligtaan i-renew ang membership kapag malapit nang mag-expire.
Sa mga countries na merong Philhealth outlets or agents, puedeng kayo na ang mag-renew. Sa other countries na walang Philhealth agents or collectors, magpa-renew through a family member.
Ang mga OFWs na umuuwi taon-taon at bumabalik din agad abroad within one month through POEA ay automatic na nare-renew on time, kasi kumukuha sila ng OEC nila sa POEA. Kasabay palagi nito ang Philhealth membership o renewal. Walang gap na months.
Ang magkakaproblema ay yong mga nagbabakasyon ng more than one month sa Philippines at hindi nare-renew agad ang Philhealth. Katulad ng relative ko na ang kinuhang bakasyon sa employer ay 3 months kasi merong aasikasuhin. Two days after umuwi siya sa Pilipinas, pumunta siya sa POEA para kumuha na ng OEC para nakahanda na. Ang kaso, sabi ng POEA, malayo pa raw siyang bumalik abroad, so hindi pa raw puedeng kumuha ng OEC. Balik daw siya pag less than 2 months before going back abroad. Hindi naman nila in-advise itong relative ko na bayaran na yong Philhealth, kahit huwag na muna yong OEC. O kaya inadvise na mag-member muna as Voluntary Member.
After further research, I found out na 60 days lang pala kasi ang validity ng OEC o Balik-Manggagawa receipt.
Unfortunately, itong relative ko na ito, naospital, na-ICU pa. Nakatulong ba ang Philhealth? Itong Philhealth na almost 30 years niyang binabayaran habang pabalik-balik siya abroad? Hindi. Dahil lang sa misinformation.
Sa pagkakataong ito ay hindi niya na-renew dahil lang sa 60-day OEC validity rule ng POEA at hindi man lang siya binigyan ng advice about Philhealth.
Paano mag-renew ng Philhealth membership ang OFW na nasa abroad?
A family member or relative can pay your next 12-month-period’s premiums. She/he goes to a Philhealth branch, bringing the following:
– an authorization letter from you authorizing her/him to pay your premiums and renew your membership.
– her or his ID
– any proof that you’re still an active OFW (puedeng yong xerox ng job contract mo, xerox ng work visa mo, xerox ng pay slip, or remittance slip with your name as sender)
– For faster processing, your wife can bring your marriage certificate or your child can bring her/his birth certificate, or your parent can bring your birth certificate, their IDs, proof of your being an active OFW, and a copy of your previous Philhealth receipt.
Meron bang paraan na sa abroad magbayad ng Philhealth premium?
Yes, sa mga countries na merong accredited Philhealth agents or collectors:
- I-Remit Centers (Hongkong, Singapore, Australia, Taiwan, Canada, United Kingdom)
- Development Bank of the Philippines remittance centers (Hongkong, other countries)
- Metrobank remittance centers (Hongkong, other countries)
Bring the following:
– filled-out Philheath Premium Payment Slip (PPPS) — can be downloaded from the Philhealth website
– copy of Philhealth Member Registration Form (for initial payments)
– passport, birth certificate or any other valid ID
– 900 pesos or equivalent amount in foreign currency
Pag magtatagal ang bakasyon ko dito sa Pilipinas o aantayin ko pa ang next contract ko at hindi sigurado ang dates, anong gagawin ko about Philhealth?
Mag-member ka muna as Voluntary Member or Individually Paying Member. Use your OFW Philhealth number. Minimum payment is 300 pesos (3 months of premiums). Bring you IDs or birth certificate or previous Philhealth receipt.
OFWs ba ang mga seamen?
Yes, pero sa Philhealth, ang status nila ay Employed Members. Karamihan sa kanila, ang nagbabayad ng Philhealth premiums nila ay yong mga offices nila na based sa Philippines.
Seamen and their families must make sure na nababayaran ng maritime offices ang Philhealth.
UPDATE September 2011: Documents Needed for OFW Enrollment or Renewal
Naglabas na ng advisory ang Philhealth about the documents na puedeng proof of being an active OFW para sa membership or renewal. Ang sabi, puedeng ANY of the following, meaning kahit isa lang sa mga sumusunod:
– valid Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC)
– valid re-entry permit or valid working visa
– valid employment contract
– certificate of employment from employer abroad (current period)
– valid company ID issued by employer abroad
– cash remittance receipt from OFW abroad, at least two months prior to the date of renewal or payment
– valid ID or certificate issued to OFW abroad, such as iqama, soggiorno or KH ID
– any other proof, subject to evaluation by authorized Philhealth officer
Sabi ng Philhealth, puede lahat ang documents above kahit marami pa o ilang months or days na lang ang remaining sa validity or effectivity ng contract, permit, certificate o visa o ID at the time of Philhealth payment.
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Philhealth Benefits — Case Rates Payments for Medical and Surgical Cases
Hi po..ask ko lng po kakaregister lng ng anak ko n ofw pero DEC or January pa xa manganganak..anu quarter po dpat ang bayaran nya ..or bbyaran po b nya ngaung 2017 at iadvance nya ang 2018?
Hi Muh, yes, your minor children can use only one membership account as dependents, so just let your wife have them as her dependents. I think the factor for choosing which spouse should have your children as dependents is the one whose employer is faster in giving the signed claim form 1 when needed.