Free medical services for Baguio indigents pushed

BAGUIO CITY  – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance providing for free medical services and medicines for indigent residents in the city.

The ordinance, authored by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr., said the program shall only be available to paupers of the city and that the patient availing of the said privilege should be a bonafide resident of the city.

Under the proposed ordinance, a pauper refers to any person or family who has no means at all of even supporting himself or themselves or those who have no means of livelihood or any person or family who is so poor that he or they must be supported at public expense and any person or family who has no property or income sufficient for their support aside from their labor.

Yangot said any person can avail of the services of the program upon the approval of the City Mayor or his duly authorized representative via certification and recommendation from the Office of the City Social Welfare and Development which shall determine the financial status and condition of the prospective beneficiary and his or her family.

The City Social Welfare and Development Office and City Health Services Office, in coordination with medical service providers, shall be responsible for providing treatment or medication to indigent patients and the city government, through the City Mayor, may enter into a contract with medical service providers operating in the city to perform the said services.

The local government shall provide P5,000 and the book of registry and medical certificate shall be kept and encoded, among others, the name of the patient, personal data, clinical abstract, certificate of no land holding from the City Assessor’s Office, recommendation and certification of the City Social Welfare and Development Office that the prospective beneficiary and his or her family is indigent as defined in the measure, and the approval of the City Mayor through his duly authorized representative. -- Dexter A. See