By Ian Alfredo Magno FEBRUARY has always been known as the month of hearts.  And with Valentine’s Day gradually setting the mood for another promotional season, almost everybody – the malls, floral stores, coffee shops, bookstores, cinemas, restaurants, etc. – gear up for yet another marketing sales pitch. Not most people know, however, that 22 years ago, a very significant piece of legislation was signed into law on Valentine’s Day.  That is Republic Act 7875.  As www.philhealth.gov.ph imparts, in the 1990s, a vision for a better, more responsive government health care program was prompted by the passage of several bills that had significant implications on health financing.  The public’s clamor for a health insurance that is more comprehensive in terms of covered population and benefits led to the development of House Bill 14225 and Senate Bill 01738 which became The National Health Insurance Act of 1995 or Republic Act 7875, signed by then President Fidel V. Ramos on Feb. 14, 1995.  The law paved the way for the creation of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth), mandated to provide social health insurance coverage to all Filipinos. Philhealth thereafter assumed the responsibility of administering the former Medicare program for government and private sector employees from the Government Service Insurance System in October 1997, from the Social Security System in April 1998, and from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in March 2005. As Philhealth celebrates its 22nd corporate anniversary, Regional Vice-President for Northern Mindanao-Region 10 and concurrent Area Vice President for Mindanao, Datu Masiding M. Alonto Jr. has chosen to initiate an active advocacy versus Climate Change. As a matter of corporate tradition, PhilHealth Regional Office-10 has prepared a month-long set of activities.  This time, it shall be highlighted with the launching of a long-term tree-growing commitment dubbed as “Philhealth Go Green,” which is actually the theme personally coined by RVP Alonto for this year’s anniversary.  Philhealth Regional Office 10 is adopting a relatively vast expanse of watershed area that is proximate to the City of Cagayan de Oro; devising a continuing program to plant, monitor, re-plant, reinforce, re-check and supervise for a period of five to 10 years or so until it matures into a self-sustaining, life-sustaining, living forest. While an initiative of RVP Alonto, the activity is inclusive rather than being exclusive to Philhealth. The inclusive advocacy of “Philhealth Go Green” aims to obtain the support of all key players in the community – from both public and private sectors alike.   Significantly, it gained the much-needed support from the City Council through its Committee on Health when Councilor Ma. Lourdes Gaane propounded the issuance of a Resolution declaring Feb. 14 as Philhealth Day.  A critical content of the said resolution is the City Council’s commitment, through its Committee on Health, to augment the manpower complement and to provide logistical support in the actual planting of trees in the vast expanse of the watershed area, and to have it protected as such. Indeed, Philhealth Go Green is still a work in progress.  Nonetheless, it is the sort of work that must be progressed – as a matter of necessity – given the erratic outbreak of serious calamities pressed by climate change.  Global warming is horribly real.  In the larger scale, it may even be worse than we have imagined.  Some say, it is too late.  Some say, the problem is too big to address.  But then giving up is not the solution. Hence, the most critical weapon is sheer optimism and a positive belief that a simple consistent effort, when done concertedly would deliver exponential results.  And this optimism is, perhaps, best illustrated in RVP Alonto’s text message to the officers and staff and friends of Philhealth, during the wake of the massive flooding on Jan. 16, 2017, which virtually trapped and paralyzed Cagayan de Oro, thus: “We need to work together on what is doable under the circumstances.  One at a time.  Focus is critical.  Public support is key.  It is never too late to do the right thing.” Gong Hey Fat Choy! Philhealth Go Green!   (Ian Alfredo T. Magno is a Cagayan de Oro-based lawyer. E-mail: ianalfredom@gmail.com)