As a strategy towards the achievement of the corporation's mandate of universal coverage, the Outpatient Consultation and Diagnostic Benefit Package (OPB) shall be implemented nationwide, subject to the capability of Local Government Units and the Corporation's work program, as per Article I of PhilHealth Circular No. 13, series of 2002.

In respect to this declaration, the Corporation hereby adopts the succeeding guidelines for the accreditation of Health Centers/Rural Health Units (HCs/RHUs) under the Inter-local Health System.

1. HCs/RHUs that do not have laboratory facilities and medical technologists may still be accredited provided that:
   
   
   1. the HC/RHU is part of an Inter-Local Health System under the Health Sector Reform Agenda (HSRA) of the Department of Health:
   2. the HC/RHU has an existing referral system with a laboratory facility owned and managed by the LGU under the same inter-local health zone;
   3. the HC/RHU is located at a reasonable distance from the referral facility, as determined by the Corporation's Accreditation Committee;
      
      
2. The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Corporation, the LGUs concerned and other stakeholders, as applicable, shall specify the duties and responsibilities of the concerned Provincial, City and Municipal Governments in the OPB implementation, particularly in the delivery of services required therein. A copy of the MOA must be attached to the application for accreditation of the HC/RHU. If in the case the MOA is not yet available for any valid reason e.g. MOA is still for signature of the concerned LGU officers, a certification should be submitted in lieu of a signed MOA. The certification should state the reason why the MOA is not yet available, and the effectivity date of the MOA should also be stated.
   
   
3. The release and disposition of PhilHealth Capitation Fund under this set-up shall be in accordance with the MOA between the Corporation, the LGUs concerned and/or other stakeholders.

This order shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 12 Feb. 2003

(SGD.) FRANCISCO T. DUQUE III, MD, MSc
President and CEO