The Department of Education (DepEd) is delivering health services to 91 public schools, targeting more than 47,000 beneficiaries, according to Manila Standard. The program forms part of the government's broader push to bring medical assistance directly into schools.
The initiative is tied to PhilHealth's participation in the Handog ng Pangulo program, which extends the state health insurer's Yakap program to schools and workplaces, The Manila Times reports. BusinessWorld Online also covered the effort, describing the schools as healthcare hubs for their communities.
Coverage of the rollout has varied by location. A PhilHealth Yakap caravan in Legazpi served 300 people, according to the Philippine News Agency, showing how the program operates at the local level alongside the larger school-based effort.
The reporting points to a coordinated approach between the education and health sectors, with PhilHealth's insurance program serving as the mechanism for delivering services in school settings. The 91 schools involved and the 47,000-plus beneficiary figure come from Manila Standard's account of the DepEd rollout.
What to watch next: whether DepEd and PhilHealth release updated beneficiary counts or expand the program to additional schools.
