News on diversion of P10.6 billion PhilHealth senior citizens’ funds alarm the Coalition of Services of the Elderly (COSE) and Confederation of Older Person Associations of the Philippines (COPAP), as this can affect millions of older persons who rely on said government’s health insurance.
“Senior citizens haven’t totally maximized the benefit of Mandatory PhilHealth Coverage law, thus recent issues on PhilHealth funds for senior citizens concerns advocates for older persons’ rights like us,” says Emily Beridico, COSE Executive Director.
COSE and COPAP also calls for a comprehensive and transparent investigation on this issue, and that all involved persons and agencies must be held accountable.
“The government should ensure that our sector will not be affected by this current controversy and we can continue accessing the PhilHealth insurance regardless of the outcome of the investigation,” says Dioscoro Benalla, COPAP President.
Both organizations laud the people in the government who are fulfilling their duties on monitoring and protecting funds for senior citizens with honesty and utmost concern.
The Republic Act No. 10645 or Mandatory PhilHealth Coverage law was signed in 2014 to provide universal PhilHealth coverage of senior citizens. COSE and COPAP were two of the groups who actively lobbied for the passage of this law.
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About COSE
The Coalition of Services of the Elderly (COSE) supports older people to continue living in and contributing to their communities. COSE has organized more than 500 Older Persons Organizations throughout the Philippines and facilitated the establishment of community-based programs on health, livelihood, disaster risk reduction and management through community organizing, capacity building, and advocacy & networking.
About COPAP
The Confederation of Older Person Associations of the Philippines (COPAP) is a people’s organization formed from the vision of COSE to have a national movement of older persons that would advocate in addressing their issues and concerns in the communities and bring forth their rights and entitlements. It has 111 member Older People Organizations (OPOs) in National Capital Region.
For more inquiries, please contact:
Ayne Garcia
Communications Coordinator
ayne.garcia@cose.org.ph
Tel. No.: +632 374 6416
Fax No.: +632 709 6567
