The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) branch in this province has released a PHP10-million financial assistance to the Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital (JBLMGH) here to augment the latter’s financial capability in catering to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients.
PCSO branch manager Maria Lourdes Siscar Soliman personally turned over on Saturday the financial assistance to Dr. Alfonso C. Danac, chief of Medical and Professional Staff and Joy Flores, head of the Finance department of JBLMGH.
“The PHP10-million is part of the PCSO’s PHP447-million financial grant to 81 government hospitals across the country which is chargeable to the agency’s charity fund under its Calamity Assistance Program (CAP) budget,” Soliman said.
She said the coverage of the assistance is specifically limited to Covid-19 cases and shall be utilized for testing kits, reagents, medical/diagnostic equipment, confinement, medicines, laboratory/diagnostic procedures and personal protective equipment.
The PCSO manager said that as procedural requirement, upon receipt of the assistance, JBLMGH is required to submit a hospital profile and its license from the Department of Health (DOH); execute an undertaking and start planning on how to use the assistance based on the given limitations.
The PCSO financial assistance is in compliance with the memorandum order issued by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on March 28, 2020, with the subject Implementation of the Temporary Emergency Measures under Republic Act 11469, otherwise known as the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which orders government bodies to work together in protecting and supporting health workers and front-liners.
The memorandum also orders the PCSO and other concerned government line agencies to provide supplies and equipment necessary for detecting the disease and caring for those infected; deliver essential necessities such as food and medicine to the most vulnerable, and, mobilize all state assets to sustain the operations of the government.
She also reiterated the assurance of PCSO General Manager Royina M. Garma to fellow Filipinos that “PCSO will always be there, ready to provide health and medical related assistance.”
“Let us also do our part as individuals by cooperating and following orders so that we can flatten the curve and put an end soon to this invisible enemy,” Soliman quoted Garma as saying. (PNA)
