The provincial government of Pangasinan has allocated PHP1.6 billion or 20 percent of its PHP8.3 billion annual budget for healthcare, Governor Ramon Guico III said Wednesday.

Guico, in a statement Wednesday, said the budget is for a competitive and comprehensive healthcare service.

He said funding is also allocated for infrastructure development, including upgrades and the addition of hospitals such as the Umingan Supercommunity Hospital, which is set to be completed this year, the Alcala Community Hospital, as well as Tayug and this town.

“We wanted to add 10 more to the existing 14 provincial government-run hospitals,” Guico said.

“When it comes to health, we’re all equal. No one is richer or more powerful. When it comes to our bodies, we’re all the same. Sickness chooses no one. So, we have to address that through addition of hospitals, doctors, our health workers, facilities, and medical services, so that we can bring forth the zero balance billing and the basic accommodation for our provincial hospitals.”

Guico said collections of the hospitals from reimbursements from Philippine Health Insurance (PhilHealth) and other programs of the government will also be part of the working budget for manpower, doctors, equipment, medicines and supplies.

He said the provincial government intends to offer free hospitalization to Pangasinenses by strengthening the healthcare system of its hospitals.

“But you have to be enrolled in PhilHealth that’s why we are conducting the Guiconsulta,” he added.

The Guiconsulta program targets to enroll Pangasinenses to PhilHealth’s Konsulta (now Yaman ng Kalusugan or YAKAP) program.

YAKAP is an enhanced PhilHealth primary care program providing free consultations, essential diagnostics (labs, cancer screenings like mammogram/colonoscopy), and up to PHP20,000 worth of annual medicines to encourage prevention and early detection.

The provincial government is conducting community-based medical missions as part of the implementation of the Universal Healthcare Law. (PNA)