Inter-agency partnership launches school-based YAKAP healthcare initiative

Four major Philippine government agencies—the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and PhilHealth—have signed a Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) establishing the YAKAP School Health and Protection Program (YAKAP-SHP).

The agreement was officially signed today by Health Secretary Dr. Edwin M. Mercado, PhilHealth Acting President and CEO Dr. Beverly Lorraine C. Ho, Education Secretary Juan Edgardo "Sonny" M. Angara, and Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor "Jonvic" Remulla.

Aligned with Pillar I of the Unified National Agenda for Health (UNA Para sa Kalusugan) and in response to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s call for stronger child health intervention, YAKAP-SHP delivers preventive care directly to schools and learning centers nationwide. In line with the Department of Health's Healthy Learning Institutions Program that recognizes educational institutions as key settings for cultivating health and integrates health promotion into school policies, services, facilities, and systems, the program places particular emphasis on early detection and management of developmental delays and disabilities from birth through the school years.

This inter-agency partnership establishes a whole-of-government framework to achieve three core objectives: expand access to YAKAP, establish a continuum of care, and strengthen implementation mechanisms by enhancing financing, securing parental/ guardian consent mechanisms for YAKAP participation, and coordinating service delivery to ensure seamless and accessible care navigation.

“This JMC brings to us the opportunity to scale things up – from reaching just a few million students or learners who can be benefit from YAKAP, we're targeting all 26 million learners including the teachers and non-teaching staff as well as their families. And because it's really a challenge to get people to appreciate what this is, we're hoping that the very visual impact that we can see in schools will make Filipino families believe in the YAKAP program and also want to take part in it.”, said APCEO Ho.

Under the JMC, YAKAP-SHP will be rolled out across public and private basic education schools, Community Learning Centers (CLCs), Child Development Centers (CDCs), other Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) centers/facilities, and Inclusive Learning Resource Centers (ILRCs).

The program will benefit basic education personnel as well as students across all learning levels including early childhood learners, Alternative Learning System (ALS) enrollees such as out-of-school children (OSC) and out-of-school youth (OSY), and children with special needs or developmental delays and disabilities identified through school or ILRC-based health screenings.

Through YAKAP-SHP, students, school personnel, and out-of-school youth will gain direct access to essential health services within their schools and learning centers. These include YAKAP on-site clinic assignment, routine health screenings, access to outpatient medicines and diagnostic tests, on-site specialist care for developmental delays, and dedicated care navigators to guide families through referrals and follow-up care.

Parents, guardians, and school communities are invited to join upcoming school-based orientation and empanelment sessions. Families can also assign or update their chosen YAKAP Clinic anytime through the PhilHealth Member Portal.