OFW extortion by PhilHealth

I REACT to the letter of PhilHealth vice president Gregorio Rulloda (Inquirer, 12/29/11) regarding reactions to increases in mandatory insurance payments imposed on overseas Filipino workers and PhilHealth’s alleged consultation with OFWs.

I find Rulloda’s letter extremely patronizing and insulting. I have been practicing in Singapore and London as a New York qualified lawyer for several years and have never heard of any consultation by PhilHealth. OFWs have no means of voicing their objections to requirements imposed by a government they hope to avoid. As I work with one of the world’s largest law firms, I already have, like thousands of other OFWs, extensive travel and medical coverage that exceed anything PhilHealth can provide. I have no reason to purchase insurance from PhilHealth other than that my own government will block my travel to and from my home country should I refuse to pay—in blatant violation of my constitutional right to travel.

While universal health care is a laudable goal, it cannot be used to cloak unconstitutional OFW extortion.

—OSCAR FRANKLIN TAN,

Singapore