PhilHealth holds healthcare advocacy
sessions for barangay nutri-scholars in Bohol

By Elvira C. Bongosia

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) — To raise public awareness on the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) recently conducted its Social Health Insurance Education Series (SHInES) for Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) of Bohol.

A total of 48 BNS from the local government units (LGUs) here attended the SHInES sessions held on June 4-6, 2025.

The three-day session was facilitated by personnel from the Social Health Insurance Academy of PhilHealth Head Office, along with the PhilHealth Central Visayas Public Affairs Unit and Local Health Insurance Office (LHIO) Talibon.

The sessions tackled the National Health Insurance Act or Republic Act 7875, UHC Act or Republic Act 11223, PhilHealth membership categories, benefit packages, contribution rates, provider payment mechanisms and among others.

This initiative also reinforces PhilHealth’s commitment to empowering local health workers and ensuring every Filipino has access to quality, affordable health care.

Part of the three-day activity is the demo teaching of the participants to gauge their learnings.

Some members of the Association of United Development Information Officers (AUDIO) Bohol and local media served as observers during the demo teaching.

Rochelle C. Planas, federated president BNS of Alicia Municipal Nutrition Council, is grateful to PhilHealth for the opportunity to join in the in SHInES sessions.

“Daghan gyud me nakat-onan about sa PhilHealth kay ang tanan namo nga mga questions sauna natubag na gyud ron. Kami gyud mismo ang personal nga nakadungog, naka-experience or personal namo nadunggan ang explanation about sa PhilHealth,” Planas said.

(I really learned a lot about PhilHealth because all our questions were answered. We personally heard, experienced, or heard the explanation about PhilHealth).

“Lahi ra gyud kung kita mismo ang na-explainan mismo sa taga PhilHealth kaysa sa laing tawo ang mo-estorya,” added Planas who has been a BNS for seven years now.

(It’s different if we have it explained to us by PhilHealth than from someone else telling us).

In the past years, PhilHealth also conducted SHInES for 4Ps parent leaders, provincial health nurses and Department of Health representatives, and municipal links and barangay health workers in Bohol. (ECB/PIA7 Bohol)

Barangay nutrition scholars in Bohol attending a demo teaching session during the third day of PhilHealth's Social Health Insurance Education Series (SHInES) in Tagbilaran City. (ECB/PIA7-Bohol)