A tertiary hospital in Pampanga, first to have an OFW wingGovernment agencies and ACTS-OFW Party-list, are ready to make sure that the country’s public hospitals can step forward to help overseas Filipino workers, particularly those returning with illnesses, in getting proper medical care along with their families who are here in the country.
Regional public hospitals under the Department of Health, are setting up OFW wings and procedures for pre-employment medical examination requirements. The first of these hospitals is the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital (JBL) in San Fernando, Pampanga which I recently visited.
JBL Chief Dr. Monserrat "Chie" Chichioco assures me that the services would include Hemodialysis and Chemo therapy for OFW catastrophic cases FREE of charge.
For the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital, a Level III tertiary, teaching and training hospital with 500 authorized beds, the Duterte administration proposed a P578.44 million budget for 2018. I will defend that budget, as an expression of the gratitude of OFWs to the hospital and its staff. (
http://www.dbm.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/NEP2018/DOH/A.pdf – see page 21 of 32)
According to 2013 United Nations Global Migration statistics, there are 10.23 million overseas Filipinos worldwide. Ten percent of our population are overseas Filipinos that is why it is just fitting that we take good care of them and their families by having OFW wings in every government hospital nationwide.
On September 7, the first of a series of agreements, will be signed to formalize the measures for the OFW wings of the DOH regional hospitals. Collaborating for the welfare of OFWs are the ACTS-OFW Party-list, the Department of Health, Department of Labor and Employment, and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration. Representing Pampanga on September 7 are Congresswoman and former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Governor Lilia Pineda.
The agreement is scheduled for signing at the Makati Diamond Residences Hotel in Makati City. Details about the agreement will be released during the signing ceremonies.
Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=87357.0