Medical assistance for Bontoc folks / ‘Reading Challenge’

BONTOC LGU UPDATE

Alpine L. Killa

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Constituents of this capital town who are diagnosed with cancer, heart illnesses and/or chronic kidney disease can now avail of the medical assistance to be provided by the Bontoc local government unit. 

Sponsored by Sangguniang Bayan member Jerome Tudlong who chairs the committee on health and sanitation, the council passed resolution No. 64, S. 2019 that provides the guidelines for the release of medical assistance. 

Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey immediately approved the resolution passed by the Sangguniang Bayan recognizing the financial needs of the patients diagnosed with cancer, heart illnesses and/or chronic kidney disease. 

Odsey believes that through this program, the municipal government could be of help and lessen the financial burden of the patients and their families.

Those who may avail of the program are patients with heart illness who need to undergo heart surgery; Choric Kidney Disease (CKD) patients who need to undergo surgery such as kidney transplant and those who need to undergo hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis sessions for the first time; cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy/radiation and /or who need to undergo surgery; and must be qualified voters and residents of Bontoc, Mountain Province. 

The resolution states that the assistance will be given to clients once a year. For kidney patients, the maximum financial assistance is P3, 000. For heart and cancer patients who have medical expenses of P50, 000 and above, the maximum financial assistance is P10, 000. If the medical expense is less than P50, 000, the maximum assistance is P5, 000. 

Requirements to avail of the assistance include Medical Certificate with signature and license number of the attending physician issued not later than three months; Barangay Certificate of Residency; Voter’s Certificate from the Commission on Election; photocopy of any valid ID or government-issued ID; Social Case Study Report from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO ) for the P5,000 to P10,000 medical assistance; and Certificate of Indigence from the MSWDO for the P3,000 medical assistance. 

Requirements must be submitted and must be valid within three months upon discharge from the hospital. If the patient has an unsettled bill, an itemized statement of account with the complete name and signature of the billing clerk should be submitted.

Considering its importance, the municipal government has allocated funds for the implementation of this program effective this year.

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 The Bontoc LGU through its Municipal Library came up with a unique and different way to invite children and teenagers to get interested in reading books. 

Dubbed “2019 Reading Challenge”, participants have to read a book they borrowed from the Bontoc Municipal Library for a minimum of 20 minutes daily from November 5, 2019, to December 6, 2019. 

According to Librarian Chamreine Casiwen, the “2019 Reading Challenge” is open to five to 12 years old for the children category and 13 to 19 years old for the teens category. 

Casiwen said that the registration is free but participants shall pay an annual borrower’s fee of P30.00 at the Municipal Treasury Office and present the Official Receipt at the Municipal Library upon registration. For children ages five to 12, they must be accompanied by their parent/guardian in the registration. 

She said under children category, the parents/guardians shall monitor the daily reading challenge of their child through the reading log sheet which will be provided upon registration. For the Teens Category, the school librarian shall monitor the reading challenge of the participants. 

Casiwen added that every week that the reading log sheet has been filled out, the participants will get one star punched on their punch card at the Bontoc Municipal Library. 

Participants who will earn five stars from reading the books they borrowed shall be given a Certificate of Completion and gift certificates sponsored by the business sectors in Bontoc. 

Aside from the gift certificates, 10 copies of the book, “ Bontoc and Its Barangays” authored by Florence Chaokas shall be raffled to be given to the five-star earners. 

The activity is part of the annual observance of the Library and Information Services (LIS) Month every November pursuant to Proclamation No. 837, s.1991 in recognition of the need to focus public awareness on the invaluable service that libraries and information centers render. 

With this year’s theme “Inclusive Innovative Interconnected”, the “2019 Reading Challenge” to be spearheaded by the Bontoc LGU through its Bontoc Municipal Library is in coordination with Department of Education – Mountain Province Schools Division Office (DepEd MPSDO), Learning Resource Management Services (LRMS), Mountain Province General Comprehensive High School (MPGCHS) Library, Saint Vincent’s School (SVS) Library and the Bontoc business sector. 

Business sectors who pledged to sponsor the gift certificates are Infinitea, Tchayapan Hotel and Restaurant, Urbanitea, The Terrace, Kamfili’s Café, Cuppa Joy Tea Shop, Tea Corner, Anayah’s , Jegala Resto, Bontoc Bed and Bistro, Kath Sumcad Photo Factory and Gallery Shop, JJF Snackhaus, Florma’s Foodhaus and Bakeshop, Unlimited Brew, Tribeline Café, Odchayak’s Snack Hauz and Ummibayan.