The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) has backed Executive Secretary Ralph Recto’s call for the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to enhance benefit packages for direct contributors, saying workers and employers who consistently pay into the national health insurance system deserve better value and more meaningful protection.
In a statement, ECOP said the case of Marvin Sulit, who reportedly paid PhilHealth contributions for 25 years but received only limited financial assistance when he needed medical care, highlights the need for reforms that better align benefits with members’ contributions.
“We stand with Executive Secretary Recto on this. What happened to Marvin Sulit should never happen to any Filipino again,” ECOP said. “For 25 years, he paid into a system that was supposed to protect him. When the moment came that he needed it most, the system wasn’t there. That is not just a tragedy—it is a failure of a promise.”
The business group said the issue goes beyond a single case, arguing that strengthening benefits for paying members is critical to maintaining confidence in the country’s universal health insurance program.
ECOP noted that PhilHealth collected P209 billion in premiums from direct contributors—including employees, self-employed professionals and employers—in 2025. Yet these members accounted for only P121 billion in benefit claims, while 58 percent of all claims were paid to subsidized or indirect members.
While reaffirming its support for the Universal Health Care Act, ECOP said expanding healthcare access should not come at the expense of contributors who faithfully pay premiums throughout their working lives.
The group urged PhilHealth to introduce differentiated benefit packages for direct contributors, remove the 24-hour confinement rule that may prevent patients from receiving benefits if they are discharged early or die before meeting the required hospitalization period, and ensure that contributions translate into adequate financial protection for workers and their families.
ECOP added that employers and employees have consistently fulfilled their obligations under the national health insurance program and expressed hope that PhilHealth would reciprocate by delivering more responsive, equitable and reliable healthcare benefits.
The call adds to growing pressure on PhilHealth to balance its universal healthcare mandate with the expectations of millions of paying members, whose continued trust is seen as essential to the long-term sustainability of the country’s health insurance system.
