CAGAYAN DE ORO City Mayor Oscar Moreno revealed over the weekend that the Department of Health (DOH) is considering Cagayan de Oro as one of the pilot areas in the implementation of the newly-approved Universal Health Care Law (UHC).
Moreno, in his speech at the campaign rally Saturday, March 30, said Health Secretary Francisco Duque who was in the city last week, personally saw the progress at JR Borja General Hospital (JRBGH), which recently inaugurated its 8-bed intensive care unit (ICU).
"He was impressed, he asked me, 'would you consider being a pilot city under the Universal Health Care program?' Siyempre gusto kaayo nako (Of course I want it so much), we will be honored," he said.
A special session immediately took place Saturday morning, per request of the mayor, and the City Council approved a resolution to apply for the program. The resolution, Moreno said, was among the requirements set by the DOH.
"That was the first time that I called for a special session and it was for a very compelling reason kay lagi kini nga opportunity dili mahimo nga palabyon (This opportunity should not be wasted)," Moreno said.
"We've been working to improve our health services and here is this golden opportunity, tanan natong paningkamot matabangan ug husto sa national government (all of our efforts will be getting help from the national government)," Moreno added.
Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin Uy said majority of the councilors, except for the opposition councilors, approved the resolution.
He said the City Council will support this effort and is committed to elevate the health care of Kagayanons.
"Kining universal health care, tanan Kagay-anons na maka avail sa health benefits (The universal health care means all Kagayanons can avail of the benefit). The Health Secretary saw our efforts so we will be one of the beneficiaries on the new law, this will make our health agenda even more stronger," he said.
Spearheaded by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), the new law mandates the automatic enrollment of every Filipino in the National Health Insurance Program.
Membership in the program can either be direct, meaning by paying health premiums, or indirect, such as those who are sponsored like senior citizens and indigents.
Filipinos will now be considered to possess "immediate eligibility" and have access to the all of the health care services, which includes preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative care.
Also, PhilHealth payments for local government unit hospitals, like the JRBGH, would be set aside in a special fund to improve its health facilities. (PJ Orias)