Text by Charmaine A. Lingdas and Jennifer Manongdo
Photos by Sarah Hazel Moces S. Pulumbarit
MANILA, Philippines—Employees of the University of the Philippines Manila (UP Manila), the country’s National Health Sciences Center, will receive significantly enhanced hospitalization coverage starting January 2026.
In a major welfare boost, the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) has committed to cover hospitalization expenses that exceed ₱100,000 for all eligible UP Manila personnel. This commitment fulfills a key goal of ensuring UP Manila employees benefit from the privileges mandated by the Magna Carta for Public Health Workers (Republic Act 7305).
UP Manila Chancellor Michael Tee made the announcement during the Gawad Chancellor Awarding and Service Recognition Ceremony on October 22, 2025.
Expanded Coverage to End Out-of-Pocket Hospital Costs
The new benefit will be implemented through the existing Enhanced UP Hospitalization Programme (UP eHOPE). Chancellor Tee detailed that he personally sought advice from PGH Director Gerardo Legaspi on how to enhance benefits, particularly regarding expenses that exceed the existing eHOPE coverage limit.
Director Legaspi confirmed the new arrangement: “Starting January 2026, all UP Manila eHOPE-eligible employees will be covered by PGH for anything in excess of ₱100,000 coverage, as long as they are in the infirmary beds.”
This measure directly addresses a critical gap in employee welfare. The Chancellor noted that while the eHOPE program has been vital, a small but persistent number of personnel still incur substantial out-of-pocket costs. Records show that of the 44 employees hospitalized in 2024 and 39 in 2025 who utilized eHOPE, an estimated four personnel each year faced medical expenses that exceeded the ₱100,000 limit.
Championing Health and Welfare
The new PGH commitment significantly boosts the UP eHOPE Benefit Program, which provides financial assistance for hospitalization and medical expenses for all UP employees (Faculty, Research, Extension, and Professional Staff, and Administrative Staff). This development is part of a broader welfare agenda; in his 2024 investiture speech, Chancellor Tee also declared he would champion the proposed expansion of eHOPE to include selected outpatient laboratory services.
The Magna Carta for Public Health Workers (Republic Act No. 7305) is a landmark Philippine law enacted to promote and improve the social and economic well-being of public health workers, mandating crucial benefits such as:
Hazard Pay and Longevity Pay
Subsistence and Laundry Allowances
Free Compulsory Medical Examination and Treatment
Compensation for Injuries
“This is what your administrators can provide for all of us, and I am grateful for your help,” Chancellor Tee told the audience. “Everything I have presented in this report is because you are there—you did not hesitate to help and are ready to serve our countrymen with honor and excellence.”
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