2 Cebu hospitals get funds for indigents

CEBU, Philippines —  In a move that is seen to benefit indigent patients, two Cebu representatives have allocated a total of P15 million in funds for Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City and Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital in Mandaue City.

For the purpose, Sixth District Rep. Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon and Fourth District  Rep. Janice  Salimbangon have entered a memorandum of agreement  with VSMMC, through its chief of hospital Gerardo Aquino; ECSG, represented by its chief, Phythagoras Zerna; and Department of Health-7 Director Jaime Bernadas.

Ouano-Dizon has allocated P7.5 million for VSMMC and P3.5 million for ESCG while Salimbangon has earmarked P4 million for VSMCC and P1 million for ESCH.

Aquino welcomed the assistance, saying it is a big help to the patients.

“We are happy and honored of receiving these funds. This a big help already,” he said.

Ouano-Dizon said that indigent constituents in her district may avail of this financial assistance.

Salimbangon, for her part, said that her husband, former congressman Benhur Salimbangon, has already been distributing “Benhur Health Cards” since 2010. She said she is just continuing the health services started by her husband.

“Ang nasugdan ni Benhur akoa ra gyud ning gipadayon. Kay nakita pud gyud nako nga maayo ni nga programa unya daghan na gyud ni og natabangan, labi na sa mga kabus namo nga mga constituents,” said Rep. Salimbangon.

This initiative of the two representatives is in line with the Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients Program of the Department of Health which provides affordable, accessible, and adequate healthcare system, most especially for the poor and indigent patients.

The funds will be used to pay hospital bills and laboratory fees of poor and indigent patients seeking medical services in these facilities.

Capitol Aid for frontline workers

Meanwhile, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia distributed cash incentives to barangay tanods and frontline barangay workers on Bantayan Island during the recently concluded northern leg of the Suroy-suroy Sugbo.

Among the barangay workers who received cash incentives from the Capitol were barangay tanods who were given P3,000 each, and barangay animal health aides (BAHA), barangay daycare workers, barangay health workers (BHW), and barangay nutrition scholars (BNS), who got P4,000 each.

The amounts have been increased from the previous P1,500 and P2,400, respectively.

Apart from the Capitol assistance, the barangay workers also received work kits.

For BAHAs, they got a tool to conduct artificial insemination of livestock; BHWs, a sphygmomanometer; and tanods, utility belt with a flashlight, hand club, and a tanod vest.

Over 1,000 barangay workers from the municipalities of Bantayan, Madridejos, and Sta. Fe received their cash incentives.   JMD (FREEMAN)