PhilHealth, DOLE launch ‘Yaman ng Kalusugan’ in Sorsogon

By Benilda Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, Sorsogon (PIA)—A significant effort to promote accessible and preventive healthcare was introduced in the workplace in Sorsogon on Tuesday, September 16.

The YAKAP (Yaman ng Kalusugan Program), led by PhilHealth in collaboration with DOLE, aims to enhance health services.

The rebranded program, previously called e-Konsulta, was officially launched for private workers in Sorsogon at Sorsogon II Electric Cooperative, with 283 employees becoming the first beneficiaries.

DOLE Regional Director Imelda Gatinao stated that YAKAP aims to provide PhilHealth members, particularly workers, with benefits during illnesses and access to proactive healthcare services, including consultations, physical exams, cancer screenings, and essential medicines.

“The Yakap Program is a symbol of government care. It tells our workers that PhilHealth is not just for hospitalization but also for preventive services. Through workplace-based checkups, employees will know their health condition early on and receive proper guidance from doctors,” Gatinao emphasized.

The launch at Soreco II showcased DOLE’s strategy to provide healthcare directly to workplaces, enhancing labor-management relations and non-wage benefits for employees.

Gatinao noted that this initiative arises from a memorandum of agreement signed last July 25 by the secretaries of DOLE and Department of Health and the Philhealth president to promote preventive healthcare across industries.

She urged employers to offer paid leave for workers accessing YAKAP services, highlighting that workplace health is a shared responsibility.

“Employers should see this not as an absence from work, but as an investment towards a healthier, more productive workforce,” she added.

For Soreco II General Manager Joseph Erwin Tabuena, the program represents both honor and relief for frontline workers.

“We are grateful to DOLE, PhilHealth, and the City Health Office for choosing Soreco II as the launching site. This program brings government services closer to our employees who no longer need to go to health centers. The government is coming directly to us,” Tabuena said.

Dante Encinas, the supervisory union president of Soreco II and a labor representative on the Regional Wage Board, expressed his support for the program, highlighting its positive impact on workers’ finances and well-being.

He noted that with YAKAP, employees can reduce their medical expenses while benefiting from regular health monitoring.

“It is a preventive measure that gives us peace of mind. We encourage all workers to coordinate with their management and with DOLE so that they can also avail of this program,” Encinas said.

Alfredo Jubilo, head of PhilHealth’s Health Insurance Office in Sorsogon, stressed that YAKAP is anchored on the Universal Health Care Act or RA 11223, which mandates that all Filipinos should have access to essential health services through PhilHealth membership.

“YAKAP is a gift from the government for all Filipinos. It embraces everyone, not just workers in big establishments, but all PhilHealth members nationwide. Healthy communities lead to a more productive society, and this is how we contribute to nation-building,” Jubilo stated.

He added that services under YAKAP are available in accredited healthcare facilities such as the City Health Office of Sorsogon and Rural Health Units of municipalities. (Marivic L. Aringo contributed to this report/PIA Bicol/Sorsogon)