Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) through the Charity Sector announced on Thursday that the agency has 62 At-Source-Ang-Processing (ASAP) Desks located in hospitals in honor of its promise of bringing services closer to the people.
“We now have 62 ASAP Desks. Of 62, 36 are operational and 26 awaiting memorandum of agreement (MOA) with hospitals,” confirmed Dr. Larry R. Cedro, Assistant General Manager, Charity Sector
Cedro dispelled rumors that PCSO will stop giving medical assistance once Universal Healthcare (UHC) law has been fully implemented.
“’Yan ang impression. Pero hindi mawawala ang tulong ng PCSO. In fact, the agency is set to give 40 percent of its Charity Fund for the Universal Healthcare. Magiging centralized lang. Furthermore, the PCSO will be used to finance benefit payment or actual treatment,” Cedro clarified.
In fact, PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan encouraged patients and relatives to visit ASAP Desks located in hospitals to avoid long queue at the Lung Center of the Philippines, or going to the main office or branch offices.
“Kung ikaw ay naka-confine sa ospital na mayroong ASAP Desk, diyan mo na mismo ibigay sa ASAP desks ang iyong medical abstract at final hospital bill para ma-i-proseso ng social worker at mabigyan ka ng Guarantee Letter,” said Balutan.
The vision is to have a one-stop shop for all patients asking for medical assistance so they won’t have to line up in different government offices.
“Kapag may PhilHealth card ka at bonafide Filipino citizen, makakakuha ka ng tulong. ‘Yun ang thrust ni Presidente Rodrigo Duterte, ang hindi mahirapan ang ating mga mamamayan na humingi ng tulong medikal,” explained Balutan.
The UHC will catalyze reforms for the health care system in the Philippines, particularly strengthening primary care services, through the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. or PhilHealth.
UHC will ensure adequate funding through the Department of Health (DOH) annual budget, revenues from sin taxes, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, PCSO, and PhilHealth members’ contribution.
Among the hospitals with ASAP Desks in Metro Manila include AFP Medical Center, Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center, Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital, East Avenue Medical Center, Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital, Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, National Children’s Hospital, Ospital ng Makati, Ospital ng Muntinlupa, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, Philippine Heart Center, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, Rizal Medical Center, San Lazaro Hospital, Taguig City Hospital (Taguig Pateros District Hospital), Tondo Medical Center, and Philippine General Hospital.
While among the hospitals with ASAP Desks in the province include Batangas Medical Center, Bulacan Medical Center, Cagayan Valley Medical Center, Camarines Norte Provincial Hospital, Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, Davao Regional Medical Center, Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital, Saint Anthony Mother and Child Hospital, Southern Isabela General Hospital, Southern Philippines Medical Center, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, and Zamboanga City Medical Center.
PCSO CORPORATE CENTER IN SAN MARCELINO
Meanwhile, Balutan confirmed that agency is set to construct its own corporate center in San Marcelino, Manila to decongest its satellite office at Lung Center of the Philippines, which is catering about 700 patients per day.
“Sana maumpisahan na ito next year at mag-bi-bidding tayo. Dadagdagan pa natin ng lima hanggang anim ang ating branch offices. We will continue to help our indigent patients nationwide. We shall maintain the Individual Medical Assistance Program (IMAP) though ang batas ng Universal Healthcare (UHC) ay nandyan na, tutulong ang PCSO sa pagkalap ng pondo sa PhilHealth,” said Balutan.
Likewise, PCSO Satellite Office located at LCP shall be transferred to Veterans Memorial Medical Center.
Balutan dispelled rumors that PCSO will stop giving medical assistance once UHC law has been fully implemented.
“Hindi mawawala ang tulong ng PCSO. Magiging centralized lang. The vision is to have a one-stop shop para sa lahat ng pasyente na gustong humingi ng tulong para hindi na sila pupunta o pipila pa sa kung saan-saang ahensiya. Magbibigay ang PCSO ng porsiyento sa PhilHealth. Kapag may PhilHealth card ka at bonafide Filipino citizen, makakakuha ka ng tulong. ‘Yun ang thrust ni Presidente Rodrigo Duterte, ang hindi mahirapan ang ating mga mamamayan na humingi ng tulong medikal,” explained Balutan.
Earlier, Balutan revealed that the agency is set to give 40 percent from the 30 percent of the Charity Fund, which is about P8 billion for UHC on the 3rd quarter this year.
UHC will catalyze reforms for the health care system in the Philippines, particularly strengthening primary care services, through the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. or PhilHealth.
UHC will ensure adequate funding through the Department of Health (DOH) annual budget, revenues from sin taxes, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, PCSO, and PhilHealth members’ contribution.
PCSO Charter, or RA 1169, particularly on revenue allocation, provides that the revenue of the PCSO shall be allocated to 55% for prize fund (payment of prizes), 30% for charity fund (various charity programs and service) and 15% as operating fund (maintenance and operating expenses).
Charity Fund is divided into two: 60% of which is for IMAP and other charity programs such as Ambulance Donation, Calamity Assistance, Medical and Dental Mission, and others; while 40% is for mandatory contributions of PCSO to almost 28 government agencies like Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), among many others.
In 2018, PCSO has generated a whopping P63.55, marking a 20-percent increase from its total generated revenue in 2017. With that, the agency was able to help 528,190 patients, spending about P8,682,919,581.50.
The agency also catered to 9,231 patients, spending about P626,249.20 through its medical and dental mission, which is 233-percent increase from the P188,006.50 released amount for 3,490 patients in 2017.
“PCSO revenue is increasing, but people who are getting sick is also rapidly increasing. As you can see the recipients and the amount of assistance released for our flagship IMAP also increased. What I’m simply trying to say is that with more revenue PCSO generates, more funds will be available to support PCSO’s various charity programs. In turn, more Filipinos especially those needing medical assistance will be served by PCSO. We shall continuously look for avenues to generate more revenues,” said Balutan.
PCSO has also allocated P35,475,050 for Institutional Partnerships (IP) in 2018. The IP program augments the financial resources of institutions (government organizations and non-government organizations e.g. orphanages, halfway house for the elderly and the abandoned engaged in welfare and charity services with emphasis on medical and health needs of its beneficiaries.
“I would like to appeal to each and every one of you to help PCSO and President Duterte to fight the illegal numbers game and promote and support Small Town Lottery (STL) operations and other PCSO games,” ended Balutan.
