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[ EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 195, August 13, 1994 ]

PROVIDING A MEDICAL CARE PROGRAM TO FILIPINO OVERSEAS CONTRACT WORKERS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS AND PRESCRIBING THE MECHANISM THEREFOR

WHEREAS, it is the avowed policy of the government to provide adequate medical care services to the people;

WHEREAS, under the present policy, among the private working sector, only members of the Social Security System who are employed within the Philippines are compulsorily covered by the Philippine Medical Care Program (Law);

WHEREAS, studies show that a large number of overseas contract workers and their dependents, which comprise a significant portion of the Filipino population, are not assured of any medical care, in view of the lack of a program with a compulsory coverage;

WHEREAS, Filipino Overseas Contract Workers and their dependents must likewise be assisted in their medical care expenses consistent with the policy for their counterpart local workers and their dependents;

WHEREAS, the Philippine Medical Care Commission, the Department of Labor and Employment thru the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Social Security System have enough facilities and manpower to ensure the effective and efficient medical care coverage of the Filipino Overseas Contract Workers and their dependents under a program similar to Program I of the Philippine Medical Care Plan;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

Section 1. Filipinos recruited for employment abroad, herein referred to as Filipino Overseas Contract Workers or members, shall be compulsorily covered by the Philippine Medical Care Program pursuant to Section 31 of P.D. 1519, as amended, otherwise known as the Philippine Medical Care Law,  without having to enroll themselves as SSS members.

Sec. 2. Dependents of Filipino Overseas Contract Workers shall also be covered with Medicare benefits through the membership of the latter.

Sec. 3. The premium contributions and benefits of the Filipino Overseas Contract Workers and their dependents shall be the same as those provided for SSS members under Program I of the Philippine Medical Care Plan.

Sec. 4. The compulsory coverage shall not apply to Filipino Overseas Contract Workers with existing coverage of the Philippine Medical Care Program acquired thru the SSS voluntary basis coverage pursuant to Section 9(b) of R.A. 1161, as amended, known as the SSS Law.

Sec. 5. The Rules and Regulations Implementing the Philippine Medical Care Law, Administrative Orders and/or Circulars issued by the Philippine Medical Care Commission, insofar as they are not inconsistent with this Order, shall also apply to the Medical Care Program coverage of the Filipino Overseas Contract Workers.

Sec. 6. The services, facilities, and the staff of the PMCC, SSS, DOLE thru OWWA and POEA, and the DFA shall be utilized for the implementation of this Order. Rules and Regulations defining the powers and functions of the said agencies and such other provisions necessary to implement this Order shall be adopted by the agencies thru a Memorandum of Agreement signed by the respective heads of Agencies.

Sec. 7. The OWWA shall provide the seed money necessary to start the operations of this program as shall be determined thru actuarial computations. The OWWA shall administer the funds of the program which shall be kept distinct and separate from all funds administered by the said agency.

Sec. 8. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 13th day of August in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety-four.

(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) TEOFISTO T. GUINGONA, JR.
Executive Secretary