Gov't repeals mandatory health insurance policy for students attending face-to-face classes

The government has repealed the policy requiring students attending face-to-face classes to have medical insurance just a month after it was implemented, the Palace said Wednesday.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Kris Ablan said this is provided under Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Resolution 168-B dated May 26 but released on May 27.

"Upon the recommendation of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Section IV, item "H" of the CHED-DOH Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2021 - 004, pertaining to the medical insurance for students is hereby repealed," the IATF Resolution read.

"The continued implementation of proactive measures and restrictions must be put in place to slow down the surge i n COVID-19 cases, stop further spread of variants, buy time for the health system to cope, and to protect more lives," the IATF added.

Back in April, CHED and the Department of Health (DOH) issued Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2021 -001 or the Guidelines on  the  Gradual Reopening of Campuses of Higher Education Institutions (HEls) for Limited Face-to-Face Classes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Union of Students in the Philippines (NUSP) earlier said such a policy is a financial burden for the students when the government should be assisting them amid the lingering pandemic.

“Yung financial burden ay napapasa sa individual sa mga estudyante instead of the government answering the budget to provide free medical treatment if ever may nagpositive. Kukuha ka ng barangay certificate of indigency, may bayad din ‘yun. Kukuha ka ng medical certificate, may bayad din ‘yun. Kukuha ka ng hospital bill na ipe-present mo saka ‘yung form, siyempre, may mga bayad siya,” said Jandeil Roperos, national president of the NUSP.

(The financial burden is passed to the students instead of the government providing free medical treatment to those who test positive for COVID-19. You will get a barangay certificate of indigency, there is a fee. You get a medical certificate, there is also a fee. You will get a hospital bill that you will present and then the form, of course, it has fees.)

At least 69 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 based on government records. Of this number, 14 million already got booster shot.—AOL, GMA News