BONTOC, Mountain Province – Constituents of this municipality who are diagnosed with cancer, heart illnesses and/or chronic kidney disease can now avail of the medical assistance to be provided by the Bontoc Local Government Unit (LGU).
Sponsored by Sangguniang Bayan member Jerome Tudlong, who chairs the Committee on Health and Sanitation, the council passed Resolution No. 64, S. 2019 that provides the guidelines for the release of medical assistance.
Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey immediately approved the resolution passed by the Sangguniang Bayan recognizing the financial needs of the patients diagnosed with cancer, heart illnesses and/or chronic kidney disease.
Odsey believes that through this program, the municipal government could be of help and lessen the financial burden of the patients and their families.
Those who may avail of the program are patients with heart illness who need to undergo heart surgery; Choric Kidney Disease (CKD) patients who need to undergo surgery such as kidney transplant and those who need to undergo hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis sessions for the first time; cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy/radiation and /or who need to undergo surgery; and must be qualified voters and residents of Bontoc, Mountain Province.
The resolution states that the assistance will be given to clients once a year. For kidney patients, the maximum financial assistance is P3, 000. For heart and cancer patients who have medical expenses of P50, 000 and above, the maximum financial assistance is P10, 000. If the medical expense is less than P50, 000, the maximum assistance is P5, 000.
Requirements to avail of the assistance include Medical Certificate with signature and license number of the attending physician issued not later than three months; Barangay Certificate of Residency; Voter’s Certificate from the Commission on Election; photocopy of any valid ID or government-issued ID; Social Case Study Report from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO ) for the P5,000 to P10,000 medical assistance; and Certificate of Indigence from the MSWDO for the P3,000 medical assistance.
The requirements must be submitted and must be valid within three months upon discharge from the hospital. If the patient has an unsettled bill, an itemized statement of account with the complete name and signature of the billing clerk should be submitted.
Considering its importance, the municipal government has allocated funds for the implementation of this program effective this year.
By Alpine L. Killa
