LABOR Secretary Francis Tolentino has directed private sector employers to help register their workers under PhilHealth’s Yakap program, stepping up efforts to expand access to primary health care services and reduce medical costs for Filipino families.
The directive was formalized through Labor Advisory 10, Series of 2026, which Tolentino recently signed.
Yakap is PhilHealth’s national primary care benefit package, providing comprehensive outpatient health care services to members and their qualified dependents.
The program forms part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s initiative to make health care more accessible and affordable.
Health officials said the package aims to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses while helping prevent serious illnesses through the early detection of chronic diseases.
Citing the Labor Code and the Universal Health Care Act, Tolentino instructed all private sector employers, including those operating within the informal economy, to assist workers in enrolling in the program.
Employers are encouraged to coordinate directly with PhilHealth to facilitate registration activities within workplaces.
Companies are also urged to organize onsite enrollment drives and assist workers in registering through the eGov application and the PhilHealth Member Portal.
To further boost participation, employers are advised to allow excused absences for workers who need to visit PhilHealth offices or accredited Yakap clinics for enrollment and consultations.
Employees, in turn, are encouraged to notify their employers in advance whenever they need to avail of these services.
Tolentino said beneficiaries of the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Integrated Livelihood Program and the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers program will likewise receive information and assistance through regional office campaigns to support their enrollment.
According to DOLE, more than 41,000 workers in the Ilocos Region have enrolled through onsite Yakap registration activities, gaining immediate access to free consultations, laboratory tests, essential medicines and preventive health care services.
