Manila: The Department of Health (DOH) is collaborating with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to enhance the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) to include more medical services and commodities, as announced by Acting Health Secretary Edwin Mercado.

According to Philippines News Agency, Mercado revealed at a Senate hearing for the DOH's proposed 2027 budget that the expansion will specifically target family planning, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hypertension, diabetes, and mental health services. The initiative aims to integrate PHP9.1 billion allocated for family health, immunization, nutrition, and responsible parenting into the YAKAP program.

Mercado emphasized the government's intention to eventually provide YAKAP beneficiaries with access to family planning commodities. For communicable diseases, a budget of PHP6.9 billion is proposed, with a focus on tuberculosis and HIV programs. Discussions with PhilHealth are ongoing to include related commodities and HIV testing in the primary care package.

Additionally, the DOH is proposing PHP2.7 billion for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as hypertension, diabetes, and mental health, considering their inclusion in the expanded YAKAP medicines component.

This broader expansion is part of the DOH's effort to establish a functional primary care system, a key pillar of its Unified National Agenda for Health. Mercado highlighted the goal of making primary care more accessible and affordable, bringing services closer to communities to encourage proactive health management rather than reactive treatment.