PhilHealth’s Alaga Ka: Reaching out to 800 indigents

MALITA, Davao Occidental, Sept. 17 – More than 800 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries recently took part in PhilHealth’s intensive advocacy campaign for the poor widely known asAlaga Ka Para Sa Maayos Na Buhay.

Alaga Ka, otherwise known as Alamin at Gamitin Para sa Kalusugan has been making the rounds nationwide since its introduction in 2014.

To date, it has been launched in five key areas in Davao region.

True to its goal of providing PhilHealth members, especially those belonging in the poor sector, a clear and better understanding of their healthcare benefits, the activity highlighted a comprehensive orientation and open forum to gauge participants’ awareness level on PhilHealth programs.

PhilHealth XI Regional Vice President Dennis Adre said the agency is serious in its commitment towards servicing the poor by taking out apprehensions in seeking medical care due to financial woes.

He urged the recipients to maximize the use of their health care benefits.

“Kung dati po ay natatakot tayo magpa-ospital dahil walang pambayad, ngayon ay hindi na po dahil covered na tayo (ng PhilHealth),” Adre told the beneficiaries during the program.

The agency also allocated a total of PhP2.8 million funding for the Per Family Payment (PFP) to the municipality which will fund the improvement of local health facilities, compensate health care professionals and generally, sustain the availment of indigent members to PhilHealth’s Primary Care Benefits (PCB) 1 package.

Under the PCB 1 package, poor members of PhilHealth and their families are qualified to avail of outpatient services such as free consultation, check-up, screening tests and outpatient medicines for common illnesses such as asthma, acute gastroenteritis, low risk pneumonia and urinary tract infection.

Malita’s municipal health officials widely regard the benefit package in its role on disease prevention, health management and decongestion of hospitals. They have likewise lauded PhilHealth’s efforts to reach out to the local government units.

“This is very strategic, innovative and at this day and age, we need that,” stated Dr. Anne Quezada, Municipal Social Welfare and Development (MSWD) Coordinator.

Quezada noted that with the growing number of PhilHealth members in their municipality comes the similarly growing need to address their concerns.

Hence, they are optimistic of the possibility for the corporation to extend a satellite office in Malita – to which PhilHealth acknowledged as one of its long term goals in the region.

The activity is a joint effort of PhilHealth and partner agencies like the Department of Health (DOH), Municipal Health Office, Municipal Links, Municipal Disaster Management & Risk Reduction Council (MDMRRC), Local Civil Registry (LCR), Municipal Links and Local Government Units. (PhilHealth-XI/Kleah Gayle Dublin)