THE Cebu City Health Department (CCHD) plans to raise its fees to improve services and operations.
The raise will be implemented once the City Council approves the amendatory ordinance proposed by Councilor Ronald Cuenco.
In an interview yesterday, Cuenco said the additional income CCHD will get from the rate adjustments will not only help the department cope with the increase in the prices of reagents used in lab exams, but will also help improve its services.
According to Cuenco, current rates have not changed in 12 years, hence “these no longer reasonably and accurately reflect the present inflationary costs,” which have risen over the years.
If the raise is approved, patients will pay P50 for medical or physical examinations for employment, instead of P30.
Exhumation
The permit for cadaver disposition will cost P50, instead of P10.
A permit for exhumation of cadaver, as well as the removal or reburial of cadaver, will be P50, instead of P15. A permit to cremate will go up from P50 to P200, as well as the entrance and transfer of a cadaver to the city from other town, city, or province from P25 to P30. Cemetery fee will also cost P150 instead of P15.
CCHD’s health inspection fee for business establishments will also go up.
The health certificate for food handlers will be P20 instead of P10. Mental and dental and other hospital certificates will be P50 instead of P10.
New rates
A new rate will also be imposed on laboratory procedures that will be performed by CCHD, such as the certification of the potability of water, certification of the potability of ice, sanitary permit, foodstuff inspection certificate for local products, foodstuff inspection certificate for export products, and septic tank excavation permit.
“Whatever amount we will be getting from the increase will be solely used for the operations at City Health,” Cuenco said.
He said the rate adjustments will not be an additional burden to the public since these are minimal.
“This will only be a one-shot payment. It’s not like you will do this every day,” he said.
The council will discuss Cuenco’s ordinance during its regular session on Friday.