True to his movie character as the “Robin Hood of Tondo”, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada has reassured the city’s poorest of the poor that he will not abandon them in their most difficult times, saying he will do everything in his power to uplift their lives.
During the distribution of PhilHealth ID cards to another group of 1,500 beneficiaries at Tondo Sports Complex on Tuesday, Estrada said he only has one purpose as the city mayor: to serve the poor.
I am not thinking of anything else but to serve you. You can be sure, I will not abandon you,” Estrada told the beneficiaries.
“The local government will not abandon you while I am here. I will be here at all times to help you out,” he added.
With the rising costs of hospitalization and medicines, Estrada said he understands the dilemma of the poor patients and their families, the reason public health is one of his top priorities.
Upon assuming office in 2013, Estrada has been responding to the thrust of the national government for universal healthcare, especially for indigents of all ages. Thousands of poor Manilenos have been enrolled by the city government to PhilHealth coverage.
Recalling his 1961 movie “Asiong Salonga” where he portrayed the infamous gangster who was loved by the masses in Tondo, Estrada said Tondo is special to him because this was not only his birthplace but also where his film career started.
As part of Estrada’s “PhilHealth Para sa Masa” program, 1,500 more residents of Districts 1 to 3 were enrolled to PhilHealth and received their cards last Tuesday.
The PhilHealth cards will enable the beneficiaries to access medical services even in private hospitals, especially in cases that need prolonged, expensive procedures and medications such as renal disease, cancer, cataract and emergency cases.
Nanet Tanyag, head of the Manila Department of Social Welfare, said 500 residents from each district have received their cards; residents of Districts 4 to 6, meanwhile, will receive theirs in the coming days.
For 2017, the city government is targeting to enroll to PhilHealth up to 27,000 Manilenos; a total of 10,470 residents were enrolled to the program last July alone.
The 10,470 beneficiaries, who included solo parents and residents with chronic diseases that need expensive procedures such as dialysis and chemotherapy, came from the six districts of Manila and Baseco Compound.
Only last June, Estrada approved the release of another P200 million to cover the health insurance of the targeted beneficiaries. This would cover the PhilHealth premiums and other hospitalization expenses of the beneficiaries.
As LGU-sponsored PhilHealth members, the beneficiaries are entitled to benefits enjoyed by regular members. There is a total of 10 million low-income and marginalized members nationwide who are enrolled under PhilHealth’s Sponsored Program.
In 2016, Estrada allotted P142 million for the PhilHealth coverage of 60,000 indigent patients, plus P60 million more to cover other medical expenses.
Back in 2015, about 42,000 beneficiaries were also enrolled to PhilHealth through the P100 million funding released by the city government.
Poor Manileños are also entitled to subsidized hospitalization, medicines, and healthcare services in the city’s six newly modernized public hospitals.
Senior citizens, on the other hand, also receive free maintenance medicines through the Manila Health Department
Also, this year, the Estrada administration increased MHD’s budget by P360 million to fund the various health programs and services of the city government.