ILOILO CITY — Jocelyn Facto of Molo District once had to borrow money just to afford her maintenance medicines. That changed when she enrolled in PhilHealth's YAKAP program. "Sang una mangita pa'ko kon diin ko manghulam, subong ya, libre na ang bulong," she said. Facto is among nearly 4,000 Ilonggos who have already accessed free consultations, laboratory tests, and outpatient medicines through the program, implemented by the City Health Office across the city's nine accredited district health centers.
Data from the City Health Office shows 15,569 beneficiaries and dependents have registered under YAKAP, with 3,990 recording their first patient encounter. The program replaces and improves upon the previous Konsulta package. Beneficiaries are entitled to free primary care consultations, essential laboratory examinations, and outpatient medicines, including maintenance drugs worth up to ₱20,000 annually through the Guaranteed Access to Medicines benefit.
A Program Built on the Universal Health Care Law
YAKAP—Yaman ng Kalusugan Program—is PhilHealth's enhanced primary care benefit package, anchored on the Universal Health Care Act or Republic Act No. 11223. The law guarantees equitable access to quality and affordable healthcare for all Filipinos. City Health Office Assistant Department Head Dr. Jennifer Castro said the initiative reduces financial strain on vulnerable and underserved sectors while encouraging early disease detection and continuous management.
The program draws on collaboration between PhilHealth, the Department of Health, the Iloilo City Government, Western Visayas Medical Center, and PhilHealth-accredited healthcare providers. A memorandum of agreement with WVMC ensures specialized care and referrals for patients requiring higher-level intervention. Across Western Visayas, over 1.4 million members and dependents have registered under YAKAP as of February 2026, with Iloilo accounting for 306,709 of those enrollees.
A Diagnostic Center Set to Open This Year
Mayor Raisa Treñas delivered an additional announcement alongside the YAKAP enrollment figures. The city's own Clinical Laboratory and Diagnostic Center is set to open later in 2026. "This is part of our commitment to bring faster and more accurate diagnostic services closer sa aton mga pumuluyong Ilonggo—especially when it comes to early detection and preventive care," she said.
The new facility will offer free healthcare services to Ilonggos, taking over from the city's previous Uswag Molecular Laboratory. Its opening represents the next phase in Iloilo City's broader health infrastructure expansion, which has included free dialysis centers in Molo and Jaro. Paagi sa pagpabaskog sang aton health systems, Treñas said, the city ensures health services remain accessible and of high quality for all residents.
A City That Treats Health as a Right
The YAKAP program and the upcoming diagnostic center reflect a city government that treats healthcare not as a privilege but as a public commitment. The free medicine program available in pharmacies across the nine district health centers complements YAKAP, ensuring patients can obtain essential medicines at no cost. The city continues to upgrade and license healthcare facilities while strengthening referral pathways to higher-level institutions.
For residents like Facto, the program has rewritten the arithmetic of survival. A maintenance medication that once required a loan is now covered. A laboratory test that might have been skipped is now accessible. The nearly 4,000 Ilonggos who have already walked through the doors of a YAKAP clinic represent the leading edge of a healthcare transformation that is not yet complete but is already delivering results.
