Without PDAF, DOH to provide funds for prov'l health program

BACOLOD CITY , Philippines   â€” The Department of Health is going to help fund the Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Program (NOCHP), with the imminent abolition of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) next year, according to Rep. Alfredo Benitez (3rd district, Negros Occ).

Benitez said Health Secretary Enrique Ona offered to give assistance to the funding requirements of NOCHP, particularly to ensure its PhilHealth program.

The national government has a Universal Health Program that was supposed to be funded by the Sin Tax Law, passed in January 2013, the 25-percent collection of which will go the PhilHealth coverage of indigent Filipinos.

This means that LGUs can be freed of its PhilHealth sponsorships to its indigent constituents, and the LGU funds intended for PhilHealth could be used to enhance the NOCHP program, Benitez said, adding that the program has been proven effective and efficient in helping indigent Negrenses with their medical needs.

Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said two weeks ago that the NOCHP-providing health insurance to at least 500,000 indigents in the province-is expected to suffer gravely with the abolition of PDAF."

This is because the funds of NOCHP come mainly from the PDAF of six Negros Occidental congressmen, aside from the counterpart fund of the provincial government, said the governor.

Under the program that started in 2010, each congressman allocated P10 million from his PDAF for NOCHP every year, or P60 million annually.

NOCHP records show that there are now 101,038 cardholders covering 505,190 beneficiaries, of which about 47,636 availed of free hospital care from September 2010 to August this year, said Provincial Planning and Development Office head Ma. Lina Sanogal.

The total hospital bills of the 47,636 was P108 million, of which NOCPH paid P23.6 million and PhilHealth P70.9 million while the rest of the amount was covered by discounts, she added.

Lawmakers have recently agreed to realign the P25.4-billion PDAF for 2014 by dividing it among the DepEd, the DOH, the DOLE, the DSWD and the DPWH. (FREEMAN)