March 27,2010

Provl Govt., Congressman Mercado Allocate P3.7M For The Indigents

â PhilHealth Cards
By Quiric
o M. Gorpido, Jr.
Maasin City, Southern Leyte-The provincial government and Congressman Roger Merc
ado have allocated a total amount of P3.7M for PhilHealth cards to indigent bene
ficiaries in the entire province of Southern Leyte and one city.
This was the disclosure of Nelita Gonzales-Gomez, DSWD provincial office head
and that of Aida Morsen, Secretary of the District Office of the Congressman, i
n an interview in their respective separate offices.
Gomez informed that the applicants for the indigency program in 18 municipali
ties and one city have been screened by the respective municipal DSWD office hea
ds. The lists were then submitted to the DSWD provincial office for consideratio
n.
The distribution of PhilHealtlh cards in every municipality spearheaded by Go
vernor Damian Mercado, she said, were done with the assistance of DSWD personnel
and the Chief Executive of every LGU province-wide. It was learned that a total
of 10,175 qualified indigents who were on the lists were scheduled to receive t
heir respective PhilHealth cards before the end of February or before the end of
March.
Several weeks prior to the distribution of the aforesaid cards for the indige
nts, the DSWD provincial head said,DSWD personnel with the help of barangay offi
cials have conducted information dissemination drive to different barangays in a
ll the municipalities comprising the province of Southern Leyte.
Sometime in 2008, the idea of providing PhilHealth cards to indigents has cro
pped during discussions with the incumbent Governor together with the Vice-Gover
nor Miguel Maamo,11 and some SP members.
The Governor then submitted a resolution to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan led
by Presiding Officer Maamo during their session held at the newly-finished SP se
ssion hall located at the first floor of the newly-renovated provincial capitol
building.
The Governorâ s resolution has proposed a certain amount of budget for approval
to the august body. After deliberations among the SP members, it was unanimously
approved by everybody. At the time the needed funds were made available, the of
fice of the Governor then contacted the PhilHealth office here about the plan. W
hen the needed number of PhilHealth cards was completed, it was delivered to the
provincial government thru the DSWD provincial office for its distribution.
The provincial DSWD head further revealed that the subsidizing of PhilHealth
cards for the indigents by the provincial government thru the joint efforts of
the Mercado brothers is now on its third year, which is annually renewable.
Moreover, it was learned that applicants for the PhilHealth cards indigency p
rogram are increasing every year, making it incumbent upon the provincial govern
ment and Congressman Mercado to likewise increase the funds for the project.
Unlike in the past distribution of PhilHealth cards for indigents, the recent
one was done much earlier. â Atong guisayo ang pagpanghatag sa PhilHealth cards pa
ra sa mga indigents sa nagkalainlaing lungsod
sa probinsiyaâ , the Governor said in Cebuano,â kay kung adunay masakit karong bulana
(February 2010), o kaha sunod bulan (Marso 2010) dili na problema ang pagpahospi
tal kung guikinahanglanâ .(We have distributed the PhilHealth cards for indigents t
o the different municipalities of the province much earlier so that if somebody
would get sick during this month(February 2010) or in the following month, there
would be no problem if a poor folk would need hospitalization.) (Quirico M. Gor
pido,Jr.)