The Alturas Group of Companies, together with the helping hands of the different generous donors, now rehabilitates 1,993 damaged houses for the thousands of quake victims who are still living in makeshift tents and rubbles. Published in this paper today are the complete lists of 450 households who will receive P10,000 each worth of construction materials for the repair of their totally damaged houses; and another 1,543 families who will be given P5,000 each worth of construction materials for their partially-damaged houses. For the processing on the matter, the beneficiaries are advised to visit the HRD Office, located at the Alturas Corporate Center, at the Northwing of Island City Mall, and look for the Corporate Human Resource Manager, Ma. A. Nora Pahang; or call 501-3000, local 1311, or through her cell nos. 09175496150. More than P12 million had been set aside by Alturas for the rehabilitation of the houses destroyed by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Bohol, last October 15. The amount was taken from the funds generated from the donations and contributions of several benefactors, mostly company suppliers and international multinational companies; private donors and other concerned citizens, who want take part in the humanitarian efforts of the company.

After going around the earthquake-ravaged areas for the past weeks to assess the extent of damage of the affected houses, Alturas was able to finalize its roster of 1,993 beneficiaries who express gratitude to the company and the donors for the initiation of the rehabilitation program. Alturas on its part is also grateful enough to the donors, who, in one way or another, supported and extended assistance to the company's mission. When it comes to involvement in the community, Alturas always lend a helping hand to those who are in dire need of assistance. Since time immemorial, the company has always been at the forefront of helping the less fortunate people as part of its continuous humanitarian undertaking. Capitol allots P30M for PhilHealth of Boholano indigents

IN ORDER TO CLARIFY the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.'s (PHIC) new coverage system on its Individually Paying Program (IPP), Gov. Edgar Chatto wasted no time in meeting with its President, Alex Padilla, and Sec. Enrique Ona of the Department of Health (DOH) last week. The three met to iron out issues on developing and expanding PHIC membership in Bohol, making sure that Boholanos have easy access to proper health care despite shortage of funds in individual households, Chatto said. “The Provincial Government has already set aside P30 million for this so we need to know exactly how we dispense of the funds,” the governor said. The new Individually Paying Program (IPP) became effective January 1, 2014, of which the annual contribution rate of Individually Paying Members (IPMs) having an income of P25,000.00 and below is P2,400.00; while members earning above P25,000.00 shall continue paying the old premium rate of P3,600.00. This is in answer to the popular clamor of expanding PHIC coverage to accommodate more indigents.

However, though aimed to improve the compulsory nature of membership to the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) and leakages in the identification and enrolment of the poor in said program, it has not yet answered problems regarding health care of the poor due to lack of proper information dissemination to all concerned parties, especially government-owned hospitals and local government units. In order to expound on this new coverage system, Chatto brought together PHIC Healthcare Delivery Management Division Chief Dr. Francis Javier, PHIC Bohol staff and the province's Chiefs of Hospitals and Gov. Celestino Gallares Regional Hospital Chief Dr. Jose Teofilo Arcay, to discuss among themselves the program's mechanisms. Although most of the concerns were academic, one issue stood out, that is: who or what agency would pay for or shoulder a patient's hospital bills if ever the latter does not have the capacity to do so. According to PHIC, if a non-member individual is confined in a Point of Care, meaning a hospital or a health care facility, and is incapable of paying his bills, the concerned facility would be the one to pay the premium of P2,400.00, turning such individual into a full member with full benefits according to his category as mandated by law.

Subsequently, if the same individual becomes ill again, he would still be eligible for confinement even in other health care facilities, and not necessarily in his original place of confinement. Chatto said that under the Rules of Engagement, LGUs are mandated by law to enroll Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), its public officials and all other personnel as mentioned in PHIC rules. Those covered under this scheme are those non-members who were assessed and classified as Class C3 or D by a medical social worker; and members who are not covered due to lack of qualifying contribution and classified as Class C3 or D. Patients availing of outpatient services such as cataract surgery, hemodialysis and the like are excluded in this enrolment scheme. However, HSM may avail of these services in their succeeding confinements If patients do not qualify in the point of care program, they are encouraged to enrol in the informal sector. Class D patients are those incapable of paying any amount whatsoever; while those classified as C3 are those who are capable of paying only 25% of his hospital bills.

Meanwhile, middle of this week saw the coming over of Arch. Ma. Rebecca Penafiel, DOH's National Center Facility for Health Development Director, and staff. Dr. Arcay accompanied the party to the proposed new hospital site in Cortes while Arch. Dilo Evangelista presented the site's schematic plan. The proposed new site for the regional hospital is believed to solve congestion of patients at its current location and the proper disposal of waste materials. (Janet Lim Villarojo)