00:00It is possible that the glasses could be included in the PhilHealth coverage before the end of the year.
00:06This is the report of Vona Kino.
00:12Colleen Garcia, a 31-year-old call center agent, is near-sighted and has astigmatism.
00:17She spent Php 4,000 for prescription glasses.
00:21A large part of her budget was spent on her five children.
00:26Jason Umali also has astigmatism.
00:30He also doesn't have a budget that's why he uses glasses that are not prescribed by a doctor.
00:35Prescription glasses, just like the needs of Colleen and Jason, are being studied in the PhilHealth packages.
00:56Before the year ends, we will release this policy.
01:00I am a single mom. Of course, I saved money before I was able to make glasses.
01:06So if they have a program like this, it's better.
01:09It can also help, especially if it's free.
01:12Based on the study of the World Health Organization, 50% of the world's population will be near-sighted by 2050.
01:20Based on the 2018 Philippine Eye Disease Study, 1.98% of our population has visual impairment and more than 2 million are partially blind.
01:29The Integrated Philippine Association of Optometrists will help PhilHealth in making guidelines in the package.
01:36We can save more, especially PhilHealth, if we can prevent diseases by providing services that would prevent blindness.
01:48The package will focus on children, especially students.
01:52The EOR for children, whether they are near-sighted or farsighted, it affects their academic performance.
01:59Before the year ends, dental services can also be included in the PhilHealth packages.
02:04Primary care when it comes to dental hygiene, florification, cleaning, that's what we are looking for in the dental package for outpatients.
02:16Von Aquino reporting for GMA Integrated News.
02:46For more information visit www.gma.gov
03:16For more information visit www.gma.gov
03:46For more information visit www.gma.gov
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