Senators Push for Expanded PhilHealth Coverage for Anti-Rabies Vaccinations
Senators urged the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to boost its coverage for anti-rabies vaccinations amid rising rabies cases, local leaders noted. The call came during a Senate Committee on Health and Demography hearing, highlighting the need to improve financial support for patients treated at Animal Bite Centers nationwide.
Senator Raffy Tulfo raised concerns about the current PhilHealth coverage, which only provides P5,000 to P6,000 for anti-rabies treatment. He emphasized that this amount falls short of the actual expense, which can reach as high as P20,000. “May balanse pang P15,000 yung pasyente. Ano gagawin? Eh di pupunta pa sa pulitiko,” Tulfo said. He urged PhilHealth to increase its coverage to around P15,000 to ease the burden on patients.
PhilHealth now accredits 866 Animal Bite Centers across the country, but the financial support remains insufficient for many victims.
Rising Rabies Cases Highlight Need for Better Support
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, the Senate Committee on Health chairperson, cited Department of Health (DOH) data showing 55 rabies cases from January to March 2025. In 2024, rabies caused 426 deaths nationwide. Go reiterated his call for intensified anti-rabies efforts, especially vaccination campaigns.
He stressed that the high cost of vaccination might discourage people from seeking treatment. “Baka yung mga kababayan natin sa takot ayaw na pong magpa-injection dahil mahal ang babayaran,” Go explained. He suggested raising PhilHealth coverage so that more Filipinos would feel confident to get vaccinated and treated, knowing they have government support.
Local Governments Urged to Provide Free Vaccines for Animals
Senator Tulfo pointed out that more than half of those receiving anti-rabies vaccines are pet owners, while others are victims of stray animal bites. He believes local government units (LGUs) should allocate budgets to provide free vaccines for pets and stray dogs. “So dapat yung LGU, alam ko nabigyan ng budget yan o may sariling budget yan, nagbibigay ng libreng anti-rabies vaccines sa mga pets o nagbibigay ng anti-rabies doon sa mga stray dogs,” Tulfo said.
Vaccination Efforts and Challenges in Rabies Control
According to a Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) official, over 400,000 individuals have received anti-rabies vaccinations nationwide. However, Senators stressed that this number must grow to keep up with the large pet population and the continuing threat of rabies.
The push for higher PhilHealth coverage aims to remove financial barriers that prevent many from accessing life-saving vaccinations and treatment. This move hopes to reduce rabies-related fatalities and improve public health outcomes.
For more news and updates on rabies vaccination and public health, visit Filipinokami.com.