City gives away health cards

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The City Government on Tuesday afternoon distributed some 1,170 PhilHealth cards to indigents from 11 villages here.

The “PhilHealth Para sa Masa” conducted at ICT High School in Sindalan was attended by village chiefs, city health officials and the Community Affairs Division headed by Donny Sayre. The program is under the city’s Agenda No. 4 dubbed: “Serbisyo ng Gobyerno, sa San Fernando Sigurado.”

The recipients on Tuesday were from barangays Alasas, Dela Paz Sur, Bulaon, Malino, Sindalan, Baliti, Calulut, Del Carmen, Lara, Saguin and Telabastagan.

Mayor Oscar Rodriguez said that with the awarding of PhilHealth cards to residents of the barangays, enrollees now are marked at more than 15,000.

“Most of our constituents have been given their cards already. This is for their protection. Ayaw naman natin silang magkasakit. Huwag sana. But the PhilHealth card for each family will help them in cases na wala silang matakbuhan,” he said.

Rodriguez said the City Government would rather see city coffers at “zero” than with savings but insufficient in basic services like health.

“Ginagawa namin ito para umangat ang antas ng buhay ninyo. My dream is someday, wala na kaming bibigyan pa ng ganito dahil mataas na ang antas ng inyong pamumuhay,” he added, as he disclosed the city’s “life to death” programs for Fernandinos.

“Walang halong politika ito bagkus ito ang tunay na diwa ng paglilingkod ng Magsilbi Tamu team,” he said.

Meanwhile, City Health Officer Eloisa Aquino told Sun.Star Pampanga that the share of the city for the PhilHealth card is P600 per card.

“We really have allotted millions for our health programs. Another 1,600 new enrollees received their cards on Wednesday at Heroes Hall. It’s part of our agenda ‘Bente kuatro oras, sa sakit walang atras,’” she said.