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‘BOTIKA SA KATAWHAN’ MARKS FIRST ANNIVERSARY


Last Tuesday, July 31, “Botika sa Katawhan,” a premium project of the Lim-Montes Administration marked its first anniversary held at the “Botika sa Katawhan” Office at the City Health Building.

It may be recalled that City Mayor Dan Neri Lim, on June 16, 2006, approved Ordinance No. C-193 authored by then City Vice-Mayor Nuevas Tirol – Montes and sponsored by Councilor Jose Antonio Salera Veloso, creating the “Botika sa Katawhan”, a joint project of the private sector and the City Government of Tagbilaran which gives free medicines to the poorest of the poor residents in the City to ensure good health and general welfare of the constituents.

“Botika sa Katawhan is making free medicines available to the poorest of the poor of Tagbilaran, a project borne out of the recognition that inaccessibility of medicines have, more often than not, caused this disabling disparity among residents of the City. It is an offshoot of several endeavors namely Bundles of Joy, Medical Missions, and Free Clinics targeted to provide relief services to a selected sector of the city that have been undertaken by a few highly active and concerned residents who took the initiative of soliciting medicines from both foundations in the United States of America (USA) and local donors.”

The ordinance states the limitations observed during these endeavors:
1)   these are scheduled events, thus, those who get sick during any other time other than the scheduled medical mission of free clinic cannot avail of the health services;

2)   there is absence of screening as to who can avail of these services so that not all those who could have needed more medical attention are attended to; and

3)   there is no follow-up on these activities and on the beneficiaries as well so that services are of a one-shot and piecemeal nature

Implementation of the project is done by a body composed of the following:
1)   Chairperson - City Mayor, or his authorized representative
2)   Vice-Chairperson - SP Chairperson, Committee on Health and Sanitation
3)   Members – City Health Officer
                         City Social Welfare and Development Officer
                         City Treasurer
                         City Budget Officer
                         Blue Card Administrator
                         Representative from the Barangay Affairs
                         Representative from the Private Sector
                         Representative from the Media

The Body spearheading the project shall exercise the following powers and functions:
1)   Formulate and adopt measures mutually beneficial to the “Botika sa Katawhan” project;
2)   Seek donations and facilitate funding coming from domestic sources or abroad for the efficient and effective implementation of activities and program of the project;
3)   Recommendation measures to encourage donors and continue their support;
4)   Administer the “Botika sa Katawhan” Fund and submit annual and quarterly reports to the Sangguniang Panlungsod on the status of funds and the implementation of the program; and
5)   Oversee and monitor the operation of the project.

Beneficiaries of the project shall be indigents of the City. The applicant must meet the requirements that may be determined by the body and or those enumerated under Article 5 of the Blue Card Ordinance. Blue Card Holders and applicants enrolled in the sponsored indigent program of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation are still qualified to avail of such services.




Posted by:


FIEL ANGELI ESPEJO ARAOARAO – GABIN
City Information Officer
Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines


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