Eleazar backs health insurance for students

MANILA, Philippines — Senatorial candidate Gen. Guillermo Eleazar has expressed support for the proposed health insurance policy for students.

Commission on Higher Education chairman Prospero de Vera has met with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management on Emerging Infectious Diseases and officials from some universities to discuss the proposed health insurance policy for students.

Eleazar, former Philippine National Police chief, said the health insurance policy could be of great help to ensure the wellness of students amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We need this even more as we prepare for expanding face-to-face classes where more students are expected to show up. This means greater health protection for students, especially those not covered by their parents’ health insurance,” he said in Filipino.

“I will fight in the Senate for bigger appropriation for health insurance for students. We know this program can never materialize if funds allocated for it are not enough,” he pointed out.

Eleazar said raising the budgets of the Department of Health and the Department of Education would provide enough funds for the proposed insurance policy.

Eleazar said the Department of Budget and Management should also determine where the government could get the budget for the program.

“I believe health insurance policy, especially for students, should be given priority considering that we’re not safe yet from coronavirus threat. We should also realize that the pandemic we’re facing won’t be the last,” he added.

Protecting the health of the general public is among the priority measures of Eleazar should he win in the coming elections.

He is also eyeing providing health insurance to other sectors including barangay workers, mass transport drivers and riders and security guards, among others.