Celso distributes 4,000 more Philhealth cards
Lumayang chairman Frederick Atilano receives the health insurance ID cards from Mayor Celso Lobregat during distribution for indigent residents from the city's 98 barangays at the City Coliseum in Tetuan Monday morning. (JOEY BAUTISTA)
Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday distributed almost 4,000 health insurance cards to new members, this time from covering the indigent sector from the city’s 98 barangays.
Mayor Lobregat said a total of 3,997 indigents including members of Task Force Tuberculosis were recipients of the expanded PhilHealth program implemented in line with the city’s accelerated health program designed to ensure that the marginalized and deserving sectors of the city will have something to turn to in cases of health problems and emergencies.
Last Thursday, the chief executive also expanded the PhilHealth grant to 1,952 beneficiaries, of whom 1, 500 came from the urban poor sector; 253 were persons with disabilities; 35 were deportees from Malaysia; 42 were barangay nutrition scholars; 89 are day care workers (renewal); 10 were retired barangay health workers (renewal) and 23 child care workers.
Lobregat stressed that the improved financial condition of the city has enabled the local government to expand the number of beneficiaries of the health insurance program from 5,000 in 2007 to a total of 14,000 this year or approximately four times more than the number when he assumed his second term in office as mayor.
The 14,000 beneficiaries exclude the 10,000 enrollees from the Micro Entrepreneur Multi-Purpose Cooperative or MEMPCO and the People’s Microfinance Cooperative for this year.
“During the first three years of our term, we concentrated on improving our financial condition and so now we are reaping the fruits of our labor,” Lobregat told the new beneficiaries during distribution rites held at the City Coliseum.
In terms of appropriation, the city’s budget for PhilHealth insurance in 2007 was only P3 million, in 2008 it soared to P3.9 million and this year it further increased to P8.4 million.
“For 2010, the 14,000 beneficiaries will further increase to 18,000 with a total appropriation of P12.2 million for PhilHealth insurance alone,” Mayor Lobregat declared to the applause of the beneficiaries.
However, the mayor hoped that the PhilHealth insurance program is one benefit that the recipients will not get to use. “This is one benefit given by the city to the marginalized sector that hopefully you will not use based on our vision “nuestro deseo un ciudad sin enfermedad”.
He said it is his hope and prayer that people will not get sick but acknowledged the fact that “it is inevitable whether we like it or not, one or two will get sick and this PhilHealth ID cards will be very useful to you”.
Assisting the mayor during the distribution rites were Councilors Rudy Lim, Nonong Guingona, City Hall Chief Executive Assistant Roseller Natividad; Executive Assistants Mario Roca and Amilpasa Bandaying and representatives from the PhilHealth Regional and Zamboanga City offices. (Vic Larato)