17/09/2025
๐๐๐๐: ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก ๐ซ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฐ๐ข๐๐
More than 45,000 workers from 49 establishments nationwide benefited from outpatient primary care as the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) jointly launched the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) for workers on 16 September 2025.
DOLE Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma and PhilHealth Acting President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Edwin M. Mercado led the main launch at Yazaki-Torres Manufacturing Inc. (YTMI) located at the YTMI Realty Special Economic Zone in Brgy. Makiling, Calamba City, Laguna. The event featured onsite registration, patient selection, and initial clinic consultations for 200 YTMI employees. Similar activities were also held across the regions.
Secretary Laguesma emphasized that the initiative is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.โs directive to ensure that government services effectively reach those who need them most, particularly the workers. He also urged both employers and workers to fully embrace the program, highlighting it as social protection in action by delivering preventive and primary health care directly to the workforce. The Labor Secretary likewise said that an estimated 24 million wage and salary workers are expected to benefit from the YAKAP Program.
โIto pong ginagawa namin ay pagtugon at pagtalima sa tagubilin ng ating Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. na ang mga serbisyo ng pamahalaang nasyonal ay dapat na makaabot sa higit na nangangailangan, lalo na sa mga manggagawa sapagkat sila ay nakatutulong upang lumago ang ating ekonomiya,โ he said.
โNais naming ipakita na ang programa ay malaki ang pwedeng ipagkaloob na tulong lalo sa ating mga manggagawa. Kailangan ay yakapin natin yung programa dahil ito po ay social protection in action, na nagbibigay ng preventive at primary care. Itong programang ito ay sumasalamin at nagpapatunay ng malasakit at pag-aaruga sa ating mga manggagawa,โ Secretary Laguesma added.
PhilHealth Acting President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mercado, meanwhile, underscored the Marcos Jr. administrationโs commitment to expanding healthcare services by rolling out community-based programs nationwide.
โIto po ay ginagawa natin alinsunod sa utos ng ating mahal na Presidente na dapat po iparamdam ng gobyerno ang pag-aaruga at benepisyong binibigay hanggang doon sa pababa. Kasi nga itong YAKAP ay community-based dapat. Hindi yung pupunta ka pa sa malayong ospital. Ito po ay nandirito at accessible sa inyo. Ito po ay pinupulido natin upang tiyakin na masulit at wasto ang pinaglalaanan ng ating kontribusyon. Kasi alam natin na a healthy workforce is a productive workforce,โ he said.
YAKAP, an enhanced and digitized version of PhilHealthโs Konsulta Package, broadens primary care benefits to give workers greater access to essential services, including medical check-ups, laboratory tests, and preventive healthcare.
Through this collaboration, DOLE and PhilHealth aim to raise awareness of the YAKAP program among employers and employees nationwide, while also improving understanding of health benefit entitlements. The partnership also aims to encourage more workers to actively utilize their PhilHealth benefits and take a more proactive role in managing their health.
Also delivering messages during the event were YTMI Senior Vice President Renato B. Almeda, Executive Assistant Bishop Augusto Flores, representing Calamba City Mayor Roseller H. Rizal, and St. Frances of Cabrini Medical Center Vice President for External Affairs Dr. Florentino Afable. PhilHealth Regional Office IV-A Acting Regional Vice President Dr. Edwin M. Oriรฑa presented the details of the YAKAP Program.
Joining Secretary Laguesma were Assistant Secretary Amuerfina R. Reyes and DOLE CALABARZON Regional Director Atty. Erwin N. Aquino.END/aldm
