In a tie-up with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth), the two agencies now accelerate the enrollment of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) as well as non-ARBs in agrarian reform communities (ARCs) throughout the region to avail themselves of accessible, affordable and quality healthcare services.

Acting Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser C. Pangandaman said that the project is being operationalized under the Greater Medicare Access sa Bayan Anihan (GMA sa Bayan Anihan) program conceived in 2002.

Based on a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) forged by the heads of DAR and Philhealth in 2002, farmers will be enrolled under Philhealth’s Sponsored Program (SP) or Individually Paying Program (IPP) in order for the latter to benefit of the government’s social health insurance program making healthcare affordable and accessible to them.

Recently, officials from both agencies met to accelerate the enrollment of farmers and their household members in said social health insurance program in Eastern Visayas.

Under the program, enrollees’ premiums shall be shouldered jointly by the local government units and national government.

However, ARBs and non-ARBs must belong to the impoverished and marginalized bracket of our society as determined by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Meanwhile, for residents of the area who won’t qualify under the sponsored program, they will shoulder their own premiums under the IPP at a minimum cost.

DAR Regional Director Tiburcio Morales Jr. said that some 14,000 farmers in 135 ARCs throughout the region are expected to be enrolled before the year ends.