Some 2,584 patients from Central Luzon have availed of free medicine assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office III (DSWD).

As of June 9, 2017, a total of P26,383,329.10 has been released for the medicine requirements of these patients under the  the Libreng Gamot Para Sa Masa (Lingap Sa Masa) program, said Ms. Rosario Cebricus, head of the Crisis Intervention Unit.

Lingap is a project of President Rodrigo Duterte that provides P1-billion funds for the medicine assistance to indigent patients who need help to buy their medication.  The program started in March this year.

In Central Luzon, DSWD Field Office III implements the program in partnership with the Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga.

Those who may avail of the program are the following: families or individuals who are indigent, vulnerable or disadvantaged; those in the informal sector and poor based on DSWD Listahanan; those who are in crisis situation based on assessment of social workers; employees and contract of service workers of government in crisis situation; and dependents of soldiers and police officers killed or wounded in line of duty.

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)