01/09/2025
๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต ๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐
๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ฃ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ตโ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐บ, ๐จ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ
September 1, 2025 โ Following the nationwide launch of PhilHealthโs YAKAP (Yaman ng Kalusugan) Program, the Itogon Municipal Health Services Office (MHSO) gave an explainer about the expanded health benefits now available to PhilHealth members and their dependents.
MHSO Head Dr. Oliver P. Guadaรฑa explained that the YAKAP Program is essentially a rebranding and enhancement of the existing Konsulta program. โAda daytoy Itogon Health Services Office tayo nga providing Konsulta, and now some of the YAKAP services,โ said Dr. Guadaรฑa.
According to him, PhilHealth members can continue to avail free medical consultations, while YAKAP now adds screening services and laboratory procedures, including cancer screening tests.
Dr. Guadaรฑa clarified that each PhilHealth member and their dependents must register with only one accredited YAKAP facility. Registration outside Itogon would mean the member cannot avail of YAKAP services in the municipality.
โOnce you are registered in Itogon, we can now refer you to accredited facilities for breast, lung, and cervical cancer screening. Some basic laboratory services are also available at the Itogon Health Services Office,โ he said.
The program also expands access to free medicines.
โFrom Konsulta, we were mandated to provide 21 medicines. Now, under YAKAP, 75 identified and itemized medicines are covered. For the Itogon Health Office, we cannot accommodate all 75 at the moment, which is why we are applying for the Gamot PhilHealth accreditation. Once approved, we can provide all 75 free medicines,โ Dr. Guadaรฑa added.
Under YAKAP, every PhilHealth member is entitled to โฑ20,000 worth of medicines annually from the identified drug list. These may be availed from PhilHealth-accredited pharmacies. He added that YAKAP health facility will only issue good for thirty days prescription.
Dr. Guadaรฑa encouraged local pharmacies to seek accreditation so they can serve the community under this benefit.
He also reminded residents that only government physicians are authorized to issue the official forms for prescriptions and laboratory requests, which are required for YAKAP benefits.
The Municipal Health Services Office is encouraging residents to be PhilHealth members and register with the Itogon YAKAP health facility. A mass registration and PhilHealth YAKAP services event will be held on September 26, 2025 at the Fianza Memorial Gymnasium.
