PCSO vows full funding support to health care

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has assured the public of adequate financing for the Universal Health Care (UHC) program as well as the Malasakit Centers law next year.

PCSO general manager Royina Garma said the PCSO was ready to provide full support to the implementation of flagship social services program of the Duterte administration.

“We are giving 100 percent support to the Universal Health Care,” Garma told a press briefing yesterday.

Garma said that of their projected P52-billion revenues for next year, P3 billion was earmarked for turnover to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) for the UHC.

Aside from the UHC, Garma said the PCSO was also funding the implementation of the Malasakit Centers law principally authored by Sen. Christopher Go.

Following the enactment of the law establishing Malasakit Centers, the PCSO allotted P3.1 billion for these centers.

“We allotted funds for that, P3.1 billion which the public can access through Malasakit Center,” Garma said.

“That will be the direction of the PCSO next year and it was based on the charter,” she added.

Earlier this month, President Duterte signed into law a bill seeking to establish Malasakit Centers in all hospitals run by the Department of Health (DOH) across the country.

Currently, there are over 55 Malasakit Centers nationwide.

Garma said the funding support to the UHC and the Malasakit Centers will use up much of the 40 percent allocated by law for the PCSO for their charity projects.

Garma, however, gave assurance that the PCSO will still continue its Individual Medical Assistance Program though on a smaller scale.

“Since we are giving a certain amount for UHC, there will be a limitation for the medical assistance program. It will focus on catastrophic (cases), like (chemotherapy) and dialysis,” Garma said. 

She said the PCSO will also continue the Institutional Partnership Program where the agency provides financial support to charity organizations like orphanages such as the Hospicio de San Jose.

She also said the PCSO will continue to distribute ambulances to local government units (LGUs).

Garma said the PCSO was set to distribute 300 medical transport vehicles to LGUs, especially those hit by calamities next year. 

The President on Feb. 20 signed the UHC law which ensures that every Filipino, including overseas Filipino workers, can avail himself of preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative care.

Under the law, all Filipino citizens are automatically enrolled in the government’s health insurance program.

Members who have the capacity to pay are considered direct contributors while indigents and senior citizens are categorized as indirect contributors and are sponsored by the government.

“Our mandate is to generate funds for charity so we will focus on raising more funds for next year,” Garma said.

The PCSO serves as the principal government agency for raising and providing funds for health programs, medical assistance and services, and charities of national character.