Marcos marks birthday with P300M aid to patients in public hospitals

On his 67th birthday, President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. said his office has allocated more than P300 million to shoulder the services of public tertiary hospitals across the country for the public. 

''Sa araw na ito, naglaan po tayo ng lagpas sa tatlong daang milyong piso na pondo mula sa aking tanggapan upang gawing libre ang serbisyo ng mga pampublikong tertiary hospital sa bansa, kagaya ng Philippine General Hospital sa Maynila, sa Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center sa lungsod ng Cebu, ang Amai Pakpak Medical Center sa Marawi, at iba pang mga government hospital,'' Marcos said in his speech during the distribution of certificates of condonation and agri-credit assistance to beneficiaries in Nueva Ecija. 

In an advisory, the Department of Health said that under the instructions of the President all inpatient, outpatient and emergency medical services including hospital bill; drugs and medicines; laboratory and diagnostic procedures; dental services; implants; therapy and rehabilitative services; chemotherapy; and dialysis will be free of charge in the following level three public hospitals:

Metro Manila

Philippine General Hospital

Philippine Orthopedic Center 

Philippine Heart Center 

Philippine Childrens Medical Center 

National Kidney and Transplant Institute 

Lung Center of the Philippines

Jose R. Reyes Memorial Hospital

East Avenue Medical Center 

Luzon

Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center 

Cagayan Valley Medical Center 

Bicol Medical Center 

Batangas Medical Center 

Batanes General Hospital

Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Medical Center 

Visayas

Vicente Sotto Memorial Hospital

Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital

Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center 

Mindanao

Amai Pakpak Medical Center

Davao Regional Medical Center 

Cotabato Regional Medical Center

Mayor Hilarion Ramiro Sr. Medical Center

Zamboanga City Medical Center

The DOH said the process of availment is as follows:

1) Patients will be interviewed by the Medical Social Services (MSS) of the hospital.

2) After MSS assessment and evaluation, medical assistance will be provided through the DOH Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program.

'Handog ng Pangulo'

The amount is part of the P3.19 billion in financial assistance and government services through the simultaneous nationwide “Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat para sa Lahat” program in 82 provinces.

The Department of Trade and Industry will also conduct business name registrations, business counseling, entrepreneurial training/services, and a mini trade fair during Marcos' birthday.

Some P1.38 billion worth of assistance was allocated by the Department of Labor and Employment, comprising P1.120 billion under its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD), P191.83 million for the Integrated Livelihood Program, and P53.48 million for the Government Internship Program.

Aside from the medical aid, a total of 6,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries in Nueva Ecija are now free from the mortgages on the land awarded to them by the government.

The distribution is part of the Department of Agrarian Reform's series of efforts to turn over COCROMs to farmer beneficiaries across the country.

There are still an additional 4,640 ARBs in Nueva Ecija who will receive the same certificates, which are expected to be given by October of this year. —with reports from Sundy Locus/ VAL, GMA Integrated News