CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has allotted P17.6-million social and medical aid per month for Pampanga patients who would ask for assistance.
PCSO branch manager Maria Lourdes Soliman said during her courtesy visit at the Governor’s Office on April 10 that the funding allocation for the province has increased.
“Medyo lumaki ang budget na binigay ng office namin for the province of Pampanga. Nasa P800,000 kami per day (The budget for Pampanga has slightly increased. We allot P800,000 per day),” Soliman said.
She said patients confined in private and public hospitals and dialysis centers in the province can benefit from the medical assistance program of PCSO.
“Everyone is welcome. When you say Pampanga, that includes Pampanga residents and all patients catered in Pampanga hospitals,” Soliman said.
She added that PCSO caters to 30 to 50 patients per day. The health services coverage includes confinement, dialysis, cancer treatment, medicines, surgical supplies, implant, laboratory/diagnostic procedures, and devices such as medical and assistive devices, non and minimally invasive procedures, transplant procedures, cardio procedures and rehabilitative therapy.
“Minsan 90 percent ng mga humihingi ng assistance ay mga dialysis patients. Nagbibigay rin kami ng assistance sa mga hospital bills, hospitalization, at saka sa mga cancer patients – medicines, chemo drugs and radiation (About 90 percent of those who asked for assistance are dialysis patients. We also provide assistant on hospital bills, hospitalization, and medicines for cancer patients),” said Soliman.
She said PCSO Pampanga can extend up to P50,000 worth of medical assistance provided that the patient has completed the requirements, which include individual medical assistance program application form, clinical abstract, valid identification card of patient and representative, authorization letter from patient in cases where there is no immediate relative available for interview, statement of account, endorsement from the medical social services of the health facility and endorsement/certificate of acceptance of PCSO guarantee letter among others.
She said their office is bent to recommend to the PCSO main office in Manila those patients needing more than P50,000 and upon approval. "They will get the approved amount from their P800,000 a day allotment," she said. (PIO)