OVP seeks alliance with DOH
IN a bid to intensify its social and medical services, the Office of the Vice President is in talks with the Department of Health (DOH) to forge an alliance.
Vice President Sara Duterte’s spokesperson Atty. Reynold Munsayac said that OVP wanted to provide additional medical support for indigent Filipinos in paying their hospital bills.
In coordination with the DoH, the OVP is working on the Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients Program (MAIPP) to which it has identified 31 public hospitals where the two offices can provide funds for purposes of helping those who will not be able to completely pay their hospital bills.
The undertaking will supplement the current medical assistance under the Public Assistance Program extended by the OVP which includes hospital bills, medicines and laboratory fees.
“MAIPP will provide financial aid to help individuals settle their hospital bills,” Munsayac said.
Since July 1, the OVP has been implementing medical and burial assistance to Filipinos through the seven satellite offices around the country.
“The OVP has already processed 5,645 applications for medical and burial assistance amounting to P73,178,564.12 as of 26 August 2022. The amount P36,251,883.74 was already released to 3,089 recipients,” Munsayac added.
Aside from the move to partner with DOH, Munsayac said the OVP also recently requested funds from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to assist more clients in their needs.
“The OVP also recently met with the officials of DSWD for the grant of Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), a financial aid to qualified individuals that will be distributed through the OVP satellite (offices),” he said.
Munsayac also gave updates on the OVP’s Libreng Sakay Program which was launched on August 3.
“The Libreng Sakay Program has already benefited a total of 32,905 passengers from August 3 to 25. As expected, the two buses using the EDSA route served the most passengers, totalling to 7,407 for just a period of seven days from August 19 to 25,” the spokesperson added.
Munsayac also revealed that additional projects will be implemented next year, which mainly comprises the OVP’s P2.2-billion budget for 2023.
