DOH preparing guidelines on ‘pork’ use

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) is readying guidelines on the use of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). 

Speaking to reporters, Health Secretary Enrique Ona said they are formulating the guidelines for poor Filipino patients.

“We are just sort of preparing proposals but essentially, it’s up to Congress how much money will be (given to us),” he said.

The DOH is expecting to receive some P3.6 billion, or 15 percent of the P25.6-billion PDAF budget from the Office of the Vice President and Congress re-aligned under the 2014 General Appropriations Act.

Ona assured poor Filipinos of equal chances in healthcare assistance from the government.

The PDAF will augment the support from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), he added.

Ona said the DOH is envisioning a system that will be less partisan.

“The idea is to make it available for patient care,” he said.

“It won’t pass through them anymore. Let’s say in certain legislative district, do we still have to check to which party (a patient) belongs? No. It won’t be necessary anymore.”

Ona said the DOH is looking at the possibility of implementing a voucher system. 

However, he refused to elaborate as negotiation is still going on.

Those to benefit from PDAF do not necessarily need to be PhilHealth members, Ona said.

Health Undersecretary Ted Herbosa said the social welfare offices at hospitals will play a vital role in implementing the program.

“There are social workers, the medical social service, that evaluates the capacity of patients to pay,” he said. “So that process will just be followed.”