PhilHealth has expanded its primary care clinic network under the YAKAP program from just 119 accredited facilities in 2022 to 4,376 as of 2026 under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., with a target of reaching 5,000 clinics by the end of the year.
In an interview on DZRH News program Special on Saturday on June 13, PhilHealth President and CEO Dr. Edwin Mercado said the expansion is part of a deliberate shift toward preventive and preemptive care as the foundation of the country’s health system under the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law.
YAKAP, which stands for Yaman ng Kalusugan Program, assigns every Filipino to a primary care gatekeeper doctor who manages their overall health—ensuring vaccinations, proper nutrition, and early treatment—and refers them to secondary or tertiary hospitals only when necessary, Mercado said.
“Sa dami ng mga klinikang na-accredit namin, mula 119 ngayon ay 4,327 na in a span of 2022 to 2026,” Mercado said. “Ang primary care, kung titingnan natin ang datihang term, ay parang family doctor na nangangalaga sa kabuuan ng isang pamilya. Ito ay hindi lamang para kapag kayo ay nagkasakit, kundi aalagaan kayo para hindi magkasakit.”
Beyond clinics, PhilHealth has also accredited more than 2,300 pharmacists as medicine providers, over 300 cancer centers, and over 300 cancer screening facilities as part of the same primary care push, Mercado said.
PhilHealth data shows that 35% of hospital admissions could have been prevented had patients received timely primary care intervention, making the YAKAP expansion critical not only to improving health outcomes but also to reducing the financial burden on both patients and the health system, Mercado said.
He said PhilHealth currently covers 17% of total healthcare expenditure in the Philippines, with a target of reaching 30% by 2028, while out-of-pocket spending by patients has already dropped from 45% in 2023 to 38-39% at present.
Mercado said the program is accessible to all Filipinos, with nearly 98% of the country now within reach of a YAKAP clinic, and that the target of 5,000 clinics this year will further close remaining gaps in coverage.
He added that private hospitals are now investing in dialysis centers, angiogram machines, and other equipment because PhilHealth’s faster and more consistent payment cycle has given them confidence to expand their services.
“Ang daming ospital ngayon ang naglagay ng kanilang dialysis center at angiogram machines. Iyon ay maganda dahil nakakapagbigay ngayon ng mas maraming access points ang ating mga providers,” Mercado said.
