CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga—The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office is intensifying its medical assistance program to reach more people throughout the country, especially the indigent.
Under the Individual Medical Assistance Program, people confined both in private and charity wards can avail of financial assistance from PCSO through guarantee letters issued to the medical facilities.
To hasten their financial assistance, the PCSO partnered with private and government hospitals to establish As Soon As Possible Desks throughout the country.
The financial assistance applies to hospital payment, laboratory expenses, hemodialysis, hearing aid, chemo drugs, medicine, implants and prosthesis and wheelchairs.
Flor Solmerin, spokesman of PCSO general manager Alexander F. Balutan, said the agency wants more people to avail of the financial assistance, as proceeds from the Small-Town Lottery is also increasing.
“Do not to make any deposits when entering the hospital to speed up the process of your financial assistance claim from the office,” Solmerin advised patients.
However, people who want to avail of the financial assistance must first fill up the IMAP form with a valid ID, certification from barangay health worker, and medical record of the patient.
Solmerin also said that for current fiscal year, the agency has a P3-billion budget for this purpose.
During a media forum here, Solmerin said that from January to August, PCSO earned from STL a total P24.3 billion, with the National Capital Region as top grosser with P6.5 billion, followed by Bicol with P5.7 billion and Central Luzon with P4.7 billion.
Visayas contributed P4.5 billion to the proceeds, with Mindanao earning P2.4 billion. For this year, the STL earnings target of PCSO is P27 billion.
