“Maraming salamat po sa programa ni Pangulong Duterte at madudugtungan pa ang buhay ko,” Marion Cajulao, 30 years old, kidney disease patient for six (6) years said.
Marion is just one of the 754 patients in Region III who have already benefited from the Libreng Gamot Para sa Masa (Lingap) Program implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Marion’s father, the only breadwinner in the family, earns P250.00 a month as a security guard. “Wala na kaming pagkukuhanan ng pantustos sa medical treatment ni Marion, buti na lang at dumating ang programang Libreng Gamot Para sa Masa,” Marion’s mother said.
Lingap is a project of President Rodrigo Duterte that provides P1-billion to fund medicine assistance for indigent patients who need help to buy their medication. It is implemented in six hospitals in Regions III, VI, VII, XI, and the National Capital Region (NCR).
In Region III, the program started on February 22, 2017, a week after the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the DSWD and Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital (JBLMRH) on February 15, 2017. The JBLMRH has provided an air-conditioned office space to the DSWD FO III staff implementing the program.
Per DSWD Field Office III records, a total of P9,044,659.39 has been utilized for the medicines of 754 indigent patients from February to March 2017. Of the total patients who availed of the program, 510 were family heads and other needy adults, 223 senior citizens and 21 youth. Most of the patients are suffering from chronic kidney disease, hypertension, heart problem, diabetes and cancer.
Under the program guidelines, indigents who are either confined in or receiving out-patient treatment from identified and need prescription medicines are qualified to become beneficiaries of Lingap.
Per guidelines, those who want to avail of free medicines should provide a valid ID, proof of indigency such as Barangay Certificate or Certification issued by the medical social service, and the doctor’s prescription, which should have been issued in the past three (3) months. This should indicate the date, the name of the patient, and signature of the attending physician, with his/her license number and contact details.
In case of a patient’s representative, the representative should present a valid ID and a written authorization signed by the patient.
Certified true copies must be certified by either the DSWD social worker assigned to the hospital; the office that issued the document; or the officer who signed the document. ### (Evelyn T. Manalo)
