A total of 114 patients with chronic ailments on Wednesday received PHP10,000 each in medical assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), providing much-needed support for their continuing healthcare needs.

The assistance is part of the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), which provides medical support to individuals and families experiencing financial difficulties because of illness and other crises.

“This is one of the ways our government showcases service that you can trust,” said Ilocos Norte Gov. Cecilia Araneta-Marcos during the distribution of the medical assistance at the provincial auditorium.

The financial aid can help beneficiaries cover expenses such as medicines, medical treatment, laboratory procedures and other health-related needs, subject to assessment and program guidelines.

DSWD social workers assess each client’s circumstances and determine the appropriate assistance.

“This financial help means a lot to us. Thank you so much to the government for having programs like this,” said Arlyn Agustin, a resident of Barangay 21 San Agustin, San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte who has been dealing with chronic kidney disease for three years now.

Married to a construction worker who earns PHP500 per day, she said the amount she received from the DSWD through the initiative of the provincial government goes a long way for her maintenance medicines.

For the 114 beneficiaries like Agustin, the assistance offers relief from the financial burden of managing chronic conditions and helps them continue accessing essential medical care.

Aside from the 114 patients, 47 others who are in need of maintenance medicines also received PHP5,000 from the provincial government on the same day.

Under the Marcos administration, people in the province acknowledged that healthcare services have improved over the years.

With more funding support from the national government, the province has advanced the development of its health infrastructure, expanding facilities meant to bring quality care closer to Ilokano families.

Immunization efforts, for example, have placed Ilocos Norte among the region’s frontrunners while medicines and health services reached communities that once had to travel far for basic care.

For Gov. Araneta-Marcos, she said each of these steps reflects a leader who believes a province can only thrive when its people are cared for first. (PNA)