DAVAO CITY — The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has approved the release of over PHP122 million in medical assistance to more than 13,000 eligible indigent beneficiaries nationwide.
PCSO General Manager Royina Garma said the agency has approved PHPP122.654 worth of medical assistance for 13,236 indigent Filipinos across the country for April and is still providing assistance to those in need.
The Medical Access Program (MAP), formerly known as the Individual Medical Assistance Program or (IMAP), is designed to augment the medical needs of the Filipino people nationwide, particularly the need for hospital confinement, chemotherapy, dialysis, and post-transplant medicines. The program is funded by revenues from PCSO games nationwide.
Garma said in these trying and challenging times PCSO once again stepped up in aiding the Filipino people, especially the marginalized sector through its MAP.
She added, amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) crisis, the agency is taking the necessary steps to continue providing medical assistance to the increasing number of indigents seeking help from PCSO.
“Rest assured that the Agency will find ways to meet the medical and health-related needs of all Filipinos, especially the marginalized,” Garma said in a statement Tuesday night.
Of this amount, PHP113 million came from various PCSO offices nationwide for 12,445 patients.
Meanwhile, the remainder was approved for 791 patients through the different hospitals with Malasakit Centers where PCSO is a partner.
From April 15-30, 2020, when PCSO resumed operations for its Medical Access Program, the National Capital Region (NCR) approved a total amount of PHP12 million for 887 patients, Southern Tagalog and Bicol Region (STBR) allocated PHP21 million for 2,442 indigent patients.
Offices in Northern and Central Luzon (NCL), meanwhile, approved PHP31 million for 3,591 beneficiaries.
A total of PHP27 million was approved for 2,793 recipients in the Visayas while PHP20 million was released for 2,732 qualified individuals in Mindanao.
On the other hand, hospitals with Malasakit Centers nationwide assisted 791 indigent individuals with medical assistance in the total amount of PHP9.4 million.-with PNA report
On April 15, the agency resumed the processing of medical assistance following the suspension of PCSO operations due to the Covid-19 situation throughout the Philippines.
Meanwhile, the online filing of applications for medical assistance started on April 22.
“We are physically distant today, but we must come together to fight this invisible coronavirus (disease 2019) so that tomorrow we can stand close to each other again,” Garma said.
PCSO’s main office and all PCSO branch offices nationwide are open from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. only to accept and process requests for medical assistance.
Also, patients from NCR may also file their requests online by accessing the PCSO official website www.pcso.gov.ph. Applicants must go to E-Services and click the NCR Online Application.
Garma said the PCSO will continue to find ways and means to reach out to people and assist the national government in its fight against Covid-19.
