AS the nation celebrates National Children’s Month, Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte is asking lawmakers to grant financial aid to “junior citizens” or Filipinos from the time they are born until they reach the age of 12, in the form of their free coverage under the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP).

In House Bill (HB) 8312, Villafuerte, former Camarines Sur governor, is proposing automatic free coverage of these “junior citizens” under the NHIP of the National Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

“Government support for our young citizens is imperative, especially during their formative years, in order for them to grow up into fully equipped adult citizens,” Villafuerte, National Unity Party (NUP) president, said in HB 8312. “This is especially important to children from disadvantaged areas, where access to healthcare services is low or limited to private institutions.”

In addition to mandatory PhilHealth coverage, “junior citizens” belonging to families with annual incomes of less than P250,000 each are entitled under HB 8312 to more benefits, including free medical and dental services and laboratory fees in government health facilities, along with a 20% discount and Value Added Tax (VAT)-exemption on medical plus dental services, and laboratory and professional fees in private hospitals and clinics.

Villafuerte said the bill entitles “junior citizens” from poor and low-income families to free pediatric vaccinations available at the Department of Health (DoH), and a 20%-discount and VAT-exemption on the purchases by their parents or guardians of their medicines and milk supplements.

The 20% discount and VAT-free privileges of “junior citizens” from low-income families also applies under HB 8312 to the admission fees charged by theaters, cinema houses and concert hall, circuses, leisure, and amusement; and the funeral and burial services for “junior citizens” who passed away.

He said, “The Philippines has made great leaps in fulfilling its commitment to the United Nations (UN) Millennium Goal of reducing child mortality and improving maternal health.”

The Congress, he said, has done its part in writing laws that have helped in this aspect, like the “Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Law” of 2000 that established the National Coordinating Council for the Welfare of Children, and the “Barangay Level Total Protection of Children Act” of 1990 that required all local government units (LGUs) to establish day-care centers in all barangays.

Villafuerte himself co-authored Republic Act (RA) 11148 or the “Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Magnanay Act,” which aims to ensure that babies get the right nutrition in their first 1,000 days of development, which, in turn, will lead to lower healthcare costs for the country as children benefiting from this proposed law would grow up to become healthier and more productive adults.

The NUP president likewise co-authored RA 11916 or the “Social Pension for Indigent Seniors Act,” the amendatory law that lapsed last July 30, 2022 and doubled to P1,000 from P500 the monthly social pension of more than 4 million indigent elderly Filipinos.

Also, Villafuerte is the lead author of RA 118861, or “The Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act” which granted financial relief to single fathers and mothers.

“Our country is working in caring for our mothers and their newborns, with Congress strengthening this intent even more through meaningful legislation,” he said. “The worry, however, is that focus on healthcare is stuck on the first 1,000 days of the child.”

HB 8312 aims to provide mandatory PhilHealth coverage for “Junior Citizens” or children 0 to 12 years old, and would therefore be automatic members of the NHIP until they reach the age of 12.

Villafuerte said his bill aims to ease the financial burden of poor or low-income parents as the bill aims to provide these benefits to families whose annual income is below P250,000.

The bill also entitles “Junior Citizens” to benefits such as a 20%-discount and exemption from VAT on goods and services, including medical and dental healthcare services and supplies.

“This benefit given to the Junior Citizens extends to professional fees of physicians in private hospitals and of home healthcare service providers, as well as funeral and burial services in the unfortunate death of the Junior Citizen,” he said. “Admission charges to leisure and amusement sites, such as movie houses and concert halls, are also taken into consideration in this proposed bill.”

The 20% discount plus VAT exemption is applicable under the bill on the sale of the following goods and services, for the exclusive use of junior citizens, from all establishments:

· Purchase of medicines, including the acquisition of vaccines and other essential medical supplies, accessories and equipment to be determined by the DoH;

· Purchase of milk supplements for children aged 4 to 12 years;

· Professional fees of attending physicians in all private hospitals, medical facilities, outpatient clinics, and home healthcare service centers;

· Professional fees of home healthcare service providers, as endorsed by private hospitals;

· Medical and dental services, diagnostics, and laboratory fees in all private hospitals, medical facilities, outpatient clinics, and home healthcare service centers, in accordance with the rules and regulations to be issued by the DOH, in coordination with PhilHealth;

· Admission fees charged by theaters, cinema houses and concert halls, circuses, leisure, and amusement; and

· Funeral and burial services for the death of “junior citizens.”

Under the bill, the free medical and dental services shall include diagnostics and laboratory fees such as X-rays, computerized tomography scans, and blood tests, in all government facilities, subject to the guidelines to be issued by the DOH in coordination with the PhilHealth;

The DoH, through the government hospitals and health centers, shall administer all necessary pediatric vaccinations including but not limited to anti-influenza virus and pneumococcal disease for junior citizen patients for free, according to the bill.

Any of the parents or guardians of the “junior citizen” must secure from the barangay a Junior Citizen Identification Card (ID) and booklet for him or her to avail of the HB 8312-listed privileges.

In order for a “junior citizen” to be issued the Junior Citizen ID and booklet that he or she needs to present to establishments whenever availing of the privileges, the bill requires any of his or her parents or guardians to present an (1) original or certified true copy of his or her birth certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA); and (2) Income Tax Return (ITR) showing that the family’s annual income does not exceed P250,000.