MANILA, Philippines — State-owned Philippine Health Insurance Corp. will be shouldering the cost of prescription eyeglasses, crutches, walkers and wheelchairs of all its members starting January 2025, Rep. Erwin Tulfo of ACT-CIS party-list disclosed yesterday.
“The PhilHealth management agreed to shoulder the cost of these starting next year. It has always been a problem of seniors and persons with disability, where their mobility is always a challenge. That is why the Speaker made this request,” Tulfo said, referring to Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“Wheelchairs are the most in demand, particularly for senior citizens and PWDs. But we didn’t stop there, we also requested them (PhilHealth officials) to include eyeglasses, crutches and walkers,” he added.
“This will lighten the burden of our indigents,” Tulfo said.
PhilHealth president Manny Ledesma earlier asked the House leadership that they be given until January next year to implement the program on a national scale as they need time to develop the mechanics of the program.
“We agreed because this will greatly help our kababayans by giving free wheelchairs,” he said.
Ledesma said they are in the process of creating the mechanics on how PhilHealth members can avail of the program, and establishing which optical centers, drug stores or pharmaceutical centers can distribute them.