A SURVEY by Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) PhilhealthCare, Inc. (PhilCare) indicates that Metro Manila residents assign a low financial priority for medical emergencies despite being the most financially capable of all the regions.

In a statement this week, PhilCare said its second PhilCare Wellness Index revealed that Metro Manila residents rated themselves the most financially capable in the survey of 1,350 participants, with 450 representing Luzon and 300 each from the Visayas and Mindanao.

“Metro Manila has the best state of financial wellness among the country’s island regions, scoring 2.70 or “good.” This was followed by Visayas (2.97, “somewhat good”), the rest of Luzon (3.54, “somewhat good”), and Mindanao (4.41, “neither good nor bad”),” PhilCare reported.

PhilCare added that its scoring is based on the “seven-point scale for purposes of measuring one’s level of financial and medical wellness, with one as “very good,” two as “good,” three as “somewhat good,” four as “neither good nor bad,” five as “somewhat bad,” six as “bad,” and seven as “very bad.””

PhilCare also added that one of five Metro Manila respondents (23.33%) “strongly agree” that their income can sufficiently cover basic needs, which is higher than what participants in Mindanao (1.67%), Luzon (0.44%), and Visayas (0.33%) answered.

Metro Manila minimum wages are the highest in the country at P537 daily according to the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC). The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) estimates that Metro Manila also accounted for 36.0% of the country’s total GDP.

Despite this, PhilCare reports, “Metro Manila respondents are the worst-prepared for medical needs, scoring 5.06 or having ‘somewhat bad’ medical wellness. Likewise, Mindanao respondents are in a ‘somewhat bad’ state of medical wellness, though scoring slightly better at 4.82.”

It also added that in terms of ability to pay for medical bills without much worry, 10.7% of Metro Manila residents say they “strongly disagree,” while this is followed by those in Mindanao (6.71%) and the rest of Luzon (0.22%). Only 5.69% strongly agree in Metro Manila that they are able to pay without worry.

Three of 10 Metro Manila respondents (31.67%) said they “strongly disagree” with the practice of undergoing regular medical checkups. This is followed by Mindanao (8.33%), and Luzon (0.22%). Only 3% of Metro Manila respondents ”strongly agree” with regular check ups. For dental check ups, 37.92% of Metro Manilans “strongly disagree” while only 4.36% “strongly agree.” — Gillian M. Cortez

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