The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation in Northern Mindanao (PhilHealth-10) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with other regional government agencies on Tuesday to cover benefits of their contractual employees.

PhilHealth-10 Vice President Delio Aceron II said the MOA will be implemented under the group enrollment program, which allows job order (JOs) or casual workers to be covered by the state health insurer and enjoy the benefits granted to regular employees.

“These workers were also not exempt from getting sick and hospitalized, and we all know that their absence can affect some functions of the agencies,” he said.

The MOA was co-signed by the Department of Trade and Industry-10, Department of Agriculture (DA)-10 and Philippine Ports Authority-Misamis Oriental.

DA-10 Director Carlene Collado said the MOA will also provide opportunities to the JOs and contract of service (COS) workers in its 20 attached agencies and bureaus.

“As the head of the regional management committee, I will encourage them to also join the DA regional office in partnering with PhilHealth in giving protection to their JOs and COS workers,” he said.

The MOA signing was part of PhilHealth-10’s celebration of its 29th founding anniversary. (PNA)