As the Zambosur Medical Center is in placed along with the strengthened Inter-Local Health Zones (ILHZs) across the province, Gov Auring E. Cerilles now targets a universal health insurance coverage of her constituents especially the indigents.

Governor Cerilles, who now sits as chairman of the Provincial Health Board has urged all the (city and municipal) mayors to achieve their target number of households to be enrolled with PhilHealth in a Policy Meeting at Hotel Alindahaw last July 10.

“Health is our priority.  It is one of my 7-Point Agenda and before I finish my term, I want my agenda to succeed,” Cerilles stated as she opened the meeting in the presence of Dr. Rey Aquino, president of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PHIC) or popularly known as PhilHealth.

Governor Cerilles in cooperation with Congressmen Victor Yu and Tony Cerilles adopted the “multi-payor scheme” of PhilHealth enrolment as the Provincial Government takes part in the nationwide race of fulfilling the universal health insurance coverage.

Under this scheme, the beneficiary has to pay only 25% of the total premium while the municipality, congressman and the provincial government will equally share the other 75%.  For instance, in the 1st to 3rd class municipality, PhilHealth premium per household is P600.  The household head shall only pay P150 for the whole year health insurance coverage to benefit his other dependents.

So far, for Zambosur’s total target of 134,301 beneficiaries, PhilHealth noted 92,216 were enrolled which constitutes about 76% enrolment with the balance of 24% for Governor Cerilles to call the attention of each mayor especially those with low turn-out of enrollees.

The Cerilles administration endeavors for health and other social services available to the people at affordable cost by adopting the principle of the Province-wide Investment Plan for Health (PIPH).

With PIPH, the province is privileged to have availed grant from Department of Health amounting to P1.5 Million for the Maternal Newborn Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) and Commodity Self Reliance (CSR).

The governor also revealed that with Congressman Cerilles, they were able to source fund from Senator Juan Ponce Enrile in the amount of P10-M for the expansion of Zambosur MedicalCenter.  The P10-M will be used to construct the Physical Therapy Center (on the ground floor) and Private Rooms at the second floor which will be bided this August, she said.

Moreover, to complement her campaign against illegal drugs, the governor also reported that congressman Cerilles is pushing for the establishment of the Drug Rehabilitation Center in San Pablo.  “This is an important initiative that would cater the restoration of drug dependents in the province.  Clients need not go to other cities to avail the needed service as we have the facility right here,” she emphasized.

For the governor to achieve her Health Development agenda, she needed the full backing from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan as well as the local chief executives.  She therefore appealed the mayors to regularly attend the Policy Board meetings in their respective Inter-Local Health Zones (ILHZ).

The Policy Board of ILHZ is restructured where the local chief executives of member municipalities have to elect among themselves the chairman.

Being the chairperson of the Provincial Health Board (PHB), governor Cerilles wants all the ILHZ resolutions needing action from the PHB shall be taken up and responded.  

There are three ILHZs are identified as: 1) J-SMART (Josefina, Sominot, Midsalip, Aurora, Ramon Magsaysay and Tambulig), 2) DUMANQUILLAS composed of Margosatubig, Lapuyan, Kumalarang, Vincenzo Sagun, San Miguel, Tabina, Dimataling, Dinas, Dumalinao and Pitogo, and 3) YLLANA is for Tukuran, Dumingag, Pagadian City, Labangan, Molave, Mahayag, Bayog, San Pablo, Guipos, Tigbao and Lakewood. (Remai S. Alejado/Zambosur Press Bureau)

Last update: 22-07-2009 17:12