ANGELES CITY -- Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan ordered the creation of the Medical and Social Services Office (MSSO) Thursday to provide appropriate assistance to indigent patients of this city.
Pamintuan appointed Councilor Alex Indiongco as executive officer of newly formed office.
In Executive Order No. 5, Pamintuan said that his administration would like to focus on health concerns and other major social problems affecting the poor sector of the city due to low family income, growing number of family members, lack of education on health care, and the increasing prices of medical cost.
"The establishment of the office will serve as an extension of the Office of the City Mayor in providing assistance to the poorest of the poor in their hospitalization and treatment of illnesses, and to facilitate the implementation of relevant solutions to their health issue," Indiongco told Sun.Star Pampanga in an exclusive interview Thursday.
The MSSO is expected to provide appropriate assistance to indigent patients who do not have means to buy medicines and access to proper medical care in line with the charity projects of Ospital ning Angeles (ONA).
The MSSO will also formulate plans and programs in conjunction with the City Health Office and ONA, and implement projects related to medical and social services as well as classify and determine patients in terms of their capability in paying Medical Treatment attuned to the policies and guidelines of ONA.
"We are also going to coordinate all efforts, communication and request regarding the mobilization of resources like donations, grants, medical mission, blood bank and other programs and projects including Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Endowment Fund (Ospital ning Angeles-RLMMC) intended for the Medical and Social Service to Angelenos," Indiongco said.
The first of its kind in the city and even the province, the MSSO also has the power to coordinate with the local and national agencies and other non-government organizations to ensure the successful implementation of the City Government’s medical social services programs. (Ian Ocampo Flora)