Quezon, PhilHealth discuss improvements to YAKAP implementation

By Nimfa L. Estrellado Gov. Angelina Tan confers with PhilHealth officials on strengthening the YAKAP program across primary care provider n...

By Nimfa L. Estrellado

Gov. Angelina Tan confers with PhilHealth officials on strengthening the YAKAP program across primary care provider networks to improve service delivery for Quezon residents. (Doktora Helen Tan)

LUCENA CITY, Quezon — Issues on slow enrollment and difficulty accessing services highlighted the need to make primary care benefits easier to use. These concerns prompted Quezon province to seek improvements in the delivery of PhilHealth’s YAKAP program.

Governor Angelina Tan met with officials of PhilHealth to seek improvements in the implementation of the YAKAP program across Primary Care Provider Networks (PCPN) and Health Care Provider Networks (HCPN). She expressed gratitude to PhilHealth for engaging with local governments and considering inputs to strengthen program delivery.



YAKAP, or Yaman ng Kalusugan Program, is PhilHealth’s primary care package that replaced the Konsulta program. It provides checkups, selected laboratory tests, preventive screenings, and essential medicines through accredited clinics nationwide.

The discussion focused on improving guidelines to make enrollment easier and services more accessible to patients. In some areas, complicated procedures and weak coordination among providers have slowed the program’s reach.

Governor Tan acknowledged Edwin Mercado, President and Chief Executive Officer of PhilHealth, and his team for engaging local governments in the review process. Consideration of local input helps align national policies with conditions in provinces with widely dispersed communities.

Key concerns included simplifying patient registration, clearly defining the roles of participating clinics, and improving referral processes. These challenges are more common in rural and geographically isolated areas, where delays can discourage residents from seeking primary care services.

Proposed improvements are expected to help more Quezonians enroll with nearby YAKAP providers and receive services with fewer delays. Better access to consultations, preventive care, medicines, and basic tests supports early treatment and helps reduce avoidable hospital visits.

Under YAKAP, PhilHealth provides up to ₱20,000 in annual primary care benefits per enrolled member for consultations, preventive care, basic tests, and essential medicines. The program supports a shift toward prevention and regular care delivered through community clinics rather than hospitals.

Continued coordination between PhilHealth and local governments remains key to advancing universal health care. Quezon province is expected to continue working with PhilHealth to ensure that policy changes lead to practical improvements in health services.