5,638 residents benefit from city health care program

By Maricar M. Calubiran

Some 5,638 city residents have availed of the PHILHEALTH health care program of the city government for the past two years and half since the health program was implemented.

Mayor Jerry Treñas said he will try to look for funds to continue the program, which supports the health care needs of the Ilonggos. The program had benefited much since its was in effect. Yearly, the city pays P3 million to PHILHEALTH.

In 2003, the availment of the health care benefit reached to P6.2 million and in 2004 it increased by more than P3 million. The health care availment was P9.1 million. The total availment is P15 million and much bigger than the yearly P3 million payment of the city.

In the first quarter of the 2005, there were already 723 people who availed of health care from PHILHEALTH. Treñas did not cite any figure on how much the beneficiaries have availed.

The mayor said PHILHEALTH can extend as much as P60, 000 worth of health care needs under the city's program. Among the top beneficiaries who availed much from the program were Diomedes Borja of Barangay Quintin Salas, Jaro and Cezar Corazon of Boulevard Molo.

Treñas added that the city will also benefit from the PHILHEALTH capitation scheme. From the last quarter of 2004, PHILHEALTH will return to the city half of the payment they made or P1.5 million or P3 million for the past two years.

The returned amount will be spent for nurses, health workers and doctors. The remaining amount is intended for the construction or rehabilitation of health centers in the different district in the city.