Two senators asked the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to increase its package for anti-rabies vaccination amid the rising rabies cases.
In a hearing on Tuesday, Senator Bong Go said some patients might have hesitation about availing of anti-rabies shots because of the costs.
“Baka ang mga kababayan natin sa takot ayaw na magpa-injection dahil mahal ang babayaran. Lalo na pag talagang positibo na kailangan nila magpa-inject. Baka maaring taasan nyo ang inyong coverage para hindi matakot ang ating mga kababayan na magpa-injection at magpa-gamot dahil may PhilHealth na masasandalan nila,” said Go, chairperson of the Senate Committe on Health.
(Perhaps our countrymen are scared of the injection because the fees are expensive. There really is a need for vaccination, especially when they test positive. Perhaps there can be an increase in coverage so that our countrymen would no longer be scared of vaccination and treatment because they can depend on PhilHealth.)
“Ang bilis, ang bilis niyan. Hindi yan pwedeng sandali…. Dapat punta kaagad sa hospital, punta kaagad sa health center, check-up kaagad. At kung kailangan magpa-injection, injection kaagad. Dapat tumugon kaagad ang gobyerno dahil buhay po rito ang nakataya dito,” he added.
(It’s so fast. They can’t delay… You would have to immediately head to a hospital or to a health center for a check-up. If you need an injection, you need to be vaccinated right away. The government has to respond right away because there are lives at stake.)
In an advisory in March 2025, PhilHealth noted that its current Animal Bite Package covers P5,850 for vaccinations.
Some hospitals offer free vaccinations for humans, while local government offices also offer free vaccinations for pets.
Senator Raffy Tulfo said that local government units must allot a budget for anti-rabies vaccinations for both animals and humans.
Two rabies deaths occurred within a month —a man who died nine months after the bite and a woman who was bitten two months ago.
The two did not avail themselves of anti-rabies shots.
In 2024, the DOH reported a total of 426 rabies-related deaths and emphasized the need for pet vaccinations and increased rabies awareness.
Meanwhile, Go also asked the Department of Budget and Management to settle the Health Emergency Allowance (HEA) payouts of health workers.
“Unahin niyo bayaran ang mga appeals ng health emergency allowances. Yung mga health workers natin na nagsakripisyo at nakipagpatayan sa atin ng panahon ng pandemya. Kung totoo naman na pinaghirapan nila at pinagtrabahuan nila, sana gawan nyo po ito ng paraan,” he said.
(Prioritize paying the appeals of health emergency allowances. Our health workers have sacrificed and faced the frontlines for us during the pandemic. If it is true that they have worked for this, I hope something could be done.)
“Services rendered po yan, pinagpawisan po yan, pinaghirapan po yan ng ating mga health workers. Sila po ang hero ng pandemya. Di natin mararating ito kung hindi dahil sa kanila. Ibigay po what is due,” he continued.
(These are rendered services, toiled with sweat and hard work by our health workers. They are the heroes of the pandemic. We will not be able to get here without them. Give them what is due.)—LDF, GMA Integrated News
