PCSO Pampanga branch manager Ma. Lourdes Soliman (left) hands over the P10-M check to Dr. Alfonso Danac at the PCSO Office on Saturday. Witnessing the turnover is Joy Flores, JBLMMC finance head. Contributed photo
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – A check worth P10 million was turned over to the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital here over the weekend at the Pampanga Office of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office in support of its efforts to fight Covid-19.
Ma. Lourdes S. Soliman, PCSO Pampanga branch manager, said the check was handed over to Dr. Alfonso C. Danac, chief of medical and professional staff and Joy Flores, JBLRMC finance head, in a simple ceremony at the PCSO office on Saturday.
Soliman said the P10-million financial assistance is part of the P447–million financial assistance given to government hospitals in the Philippines.
There are 81 government hospitals across the country that will be benefited by the fund.
PCSO general manager Royina M. Garma said in a statement that the Board in its meeting held on March 31, approved the assistance to 81 mostly provincial hospitals across the country. The financial assistance aims to augment the financial capability of the beneficiary hospitals in catering to Covid-19 patients.
The financial assistance is over and above the P420–million funds to be released to PhilHealth as announced last week, Garma added.
The PCSO said coverage of the assistance is specifically limited to Covid-19 cases and shall be utilized for testing kits, reagents, medical/diagnostic equipment, confinement, medicines,laboratory/diagnostic procedures, and personal protective equipment.
The newly approved financial assistance will be charged to the agency’s Charity Fund under its Calamity Assistance Program budget.
Garma said the PCSO branch managers in different provinces are now coordinating with the hospitals for the required documents of the assistance and the schedule of turnover that will be held in the PCSO branch office.
As procedural requirement, upon receipt of the assistance, the hospitals are required to submit hospital profile and DOH license or shall execute anundertaking to submit the said documents on a later time.
The additional P447 million is in compliance with the memorandum issued by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on March 28 with the subject Implementation of the Temporary Emergency Measures under Republic Act (RA) No. 11469, otherwise known as the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which orders government bodies to work together in protecting and supporting health workers and front liners; providing supplies and equipment necessary for detecting the disease and caring for those infected; deliver essential necessities such as food and medicine to the most vulnerable; and, mobilize all state assets to sustain the operations of the government.
“To our fellow Filipinos, please know, that PCSO will always be here, ready to provide health and medical related assistance. Let us also do our part as individuals by cooperating and following orders so that we can flatten the curve and put an end soon to this invisible enemy,” Garma stated
