School communities across the country will now gain stronger access to primary care as public schools become organized access points connecting learners, personnel, and families to PhilHealth’s YAKAP primary care services under a landmark multi-agency partnership signed by Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Tuesday.
The Department of Education (DepEd) partnered with the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to launch the YAKAP School Health and Protection Program (YAKAP-SHP).
The initiative expands access to YAKAP primary care, health screening, and disability-inclusive services through schools and their linkages with YAKAP Clinics and other providers.
Under the signed Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC), public schools will serve as organized access points for YAKAP registration, clinic selection, screening, referral and other program activities for learners, teachers, non-teaching staff, and their qualified dependents. The program also covers out-of-school youth and learners with developmental delays and disabilities.
The initiative expands access to YAKAP primary care, health screening, and disability-inclusive services through schools and their linkages with YAKAP Clinics and other providers. Standard screenings will cover vision, hearing, dental, nutrition, psychosocial, and developmental domains.
During the ceremonial signing held at the DepEd headquarters, Angara emphasized that the initiative strengthens inter-agency collaboration on key priorities championed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., including education and health.
Joining Angara at the signing were DOH Secretary Dr. Edwin Mercado, DILG Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla, and PhilHealth President and CEO Dr. Beverly Ho.
Angara said the agreement unlocks opportunities to scale YAKAP Program nationwide, utilizing campus clinics to connect school communities directly with PhilHealth benefits.
“Napakalaking bagay nito para sa atin, sa ating mga teachers, sa ating mga learners, at sa kanilang mga pamilya. Nakikita natin tuwing may YAKAP Caravan kasama ang ating Pangulong Bongbong Marcos, laging full house ang pagpunta dahil napakahalaga talaga ng mga serbisyong pino-provide ng PhilHealth,” Angara said.
Angara said that DILG’s involvement will help mobilize and coordinate participation from local government units down to the barangay level.
In line with Republic Act No. 11650 or the Inclusive Education Act of 2022, the JMC strengthens targeted support for learners with disabilities by integrating disability and developmental screening directly into YAKAP primary care.
In line with Republic Act No. 11650 or the Inclusive Education Act of 2022, the JMC strengthens targeted support for learners with disabilities by integrating disability and developmental screening directly into YAKAP primary care. It establishes referral and care-navigation pathways to appropriate health, rehabilitation, and specialized services, while ensuring that these health interventions complement the Child Find System, educational assessment, Multidisciplinary Team processes, Inclusive Learning Resource Center (ILRC) services, Individualized Education Plans (IEP), reasonable accommodations, and other inclusive education mechanisms.
To operationalize the program, Angara also signed a separate bilateral Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and a Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) with PhilHealth.
The five-year MOA enables schools to host YAKAP services and mobile caravans, facilitate beneficiary registration and care navigation, and establish DepEd-managed school clinics that may seek PhilHealth accreditation to directly deliver YAKAP services. Private healthcare providers and other partners may also “adopt” schools by equipping existing school clinics, providing health professionals, or bringing YAKAP services on-site. Complementing the MOA, the DSA sets strict safeguards under the Data Privacy Act of 2012 for the secure and lawful sharing and processing of necessary beneficiary information between DepEd and PhilHealth, enabling more efficient registration and access to YAKAP services while protecting the privacy and confidentiality of learners and personnel.
To receive care, families will follow a four-step process: registration, selection of their preferred YAKAP Clinic from available provider options, completion of the First Patient Encounter (FPE), and empanelment. Health screenings may be conducted in schools by appropriately trained and, where required, licensed or authorized personnel. Schools and other child-serving settings will facilitate these processes in coordination with PhilHealth and YAKAP Clinics, while beneficiaries retain the right to choose their preferred clinic from available provider options.
To ensure learners receive continuous treatment, designated health guides or care navigators will handle referrals to the appropriate health, developmental, disability-related and support services. Following the ceremony, DepEd officials inspected Ligas I Elementary School in Bacoor, Cavite, to check clinic preparations for the upcoming rollout.
