BONTOC, Mountain Province – The inclusion of the Bontoc Rural Health Unit (RHU) as one among the health facilities in Mountain Province with Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) Program of the Department of Health (DOH) marks a significant step forward in improving access to healthcare for vulnerable populations.
On behalf of Municipal Health Officer Dr Diga Kay Gomez, Dr. Maribeth Lin Binwag, a Doctor to the Barrios assigned to Bontoc, highlighted the MAIFIP Program during a joint meeting of the Local Health Board (LHB) and the Municipal Nutrition Council (MNC) on June 17, 2025, at the Bontoc Municipal Capitol Auditorium.
The MAIFIP Program, which evolved from the previous Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients (MAIP), aims to provide ongoing medical assistance to alleviate the financial burdens faced by eligible patients. The program is designed to support indigent and financially incapacitated Filipinos by covering essential healthcare expenses, including hospital bills, laboratory tests, medications, and diagnostic procedures.
Dr Binwag mentioned that to access the laboratory and diagnostic procedures under the MAIFIP Program at the Bontoc RHU, one must present a Certificate of Eligibility from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office or a Certificate of Indigency from their respective Barangay Local Government Unit (LGU).
Development Management Officer IV Madelyn Tudlong from the DOH-Provincial Office clarified the criteria for indigency, stating that a patient is considered indigent if they lack visible means of income or have insufficient income to meet their family’s needs. Meanwhile, a financially incapacitated patient, while not classified as indigent, is someone who demonstrates a clear inability to afford necessary healthcare expenses as assessed by a social worker.
Mayor Jerome “Chagsen” Tudlong, Jr., who chairs both the LHB and MNC, emphasized the importance of raising public awareness about the program. With this, Tudlong urged the barangay officials and community members to help disseminate information about the assistance available at the Bontoc RHU, ensuring that those in need can take advantage of this vital healthcare support. By Alpine L. Killa-Malwagay
