The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) recently added 13 more hospitals as its partners under the PCSO ASAP (At Source Ang Processing) Program.
The program was launched on April 22 with the signing of an agreement between the PCSO and St. Luke’s Medical Center.
The PCSO ASAP Program makes it more convenient for the public to access the agency’s services by establishing a PCSO Desk in
partner-hospitals.
The 13 hospitals recently added to the program are Justice Abad Santos General Hospital, Ospital ng Muntinlupa, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, Rizal Medical Center, East Avenue Medical Center, Jose B. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center, National Children’s Hospital, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Lung Center of the Philippines and Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center.
The PCSO Desk is manned by a social worker of the hospital and trained by the PCSO in request evaluation and recommendation.
Patients who require financial assistance under the PCSO Individual Medical Assistance Program for their hospitalization, dialysis, medicines, and other medical- and health care-related concerns may submit their applications for assistance at the desk, instead of at a PCSO office.
We had been working on this plan for several years, developing a procedure and training program, and negotiating with various hospitals to give it a try. We appreciate the cooperation and support of our 14 partner-hospitals in helping us extend the PCSO’s services to the public.
The PCSO’s Charity Sector and Branch Operations Sector just finished holding a series of briefing sessions all over the country, with the last one held last Thursday and Friday in Tagaytay City, attended by representatives of hospitals from the Southern Tagalog and Bicol region.
We look forward to adding more partner-hospitals to our ASAP Program in the coming months.
***
The PCSO also recently allocated P19.86 million to orphanages and homes for street children and the elderly across the country, affirming its support for residential and care facilities that provide needed social services for vulnerable sectors of society.
To be allocated varying amounts in the National Capital Region are White Cross Children’s Home, Laura Vicuña Foundation Inc., Hospicio de San Jose, Philippine National Red Cross, CRIBS Philippines Inc., Kadiwa sa Pagkapari Foundation Inc. and Reception and Study Center for Children.
In Region 3: Nazareth Home for Children, Tahanang Mapagpala ng Immaculada and Bahay ni San Jose Orphanage Inc.
In Region 4: Sta. Ana-San Joaquin Bahay Ampunan, Golden Acres Haven for the Elderly, Taw Kabui for a Child Inc. and Casa Dei Bambini.
In Region 5: Orphanage of the Virgin of Guadalupe.
In Region 8: Western Samar Development Foundation Inc. and SOS Children’s Village.
In Caraga: Balay Silonganan Home for Street Children, Gesu Eucaristo Children’s Inc. and Por Cristo Foundation Inc. Home of the Abandoned Elderly.
Partner-facilities selected for the PCSO’s Institutional Partnership (IP) Program must meet certain requirements, including Department of Social Welfare and Development accreditation and a license to operate. No more than 15 percent of the PCSO funding for IPs may be used for administrative costs; the rest is to be allocated for programs. Liquidation must be performed in line with applicable laws and PCSO and Commission on Audit rules
and regulations.
This is, likewise, the policy for PCSO’s Endowment Fund program, which provides financial assistance to public hospitals.
Recently, 52 primary, secondary and tertiary public hospitals, 14 of them facilities under the Department of Health, were allotted P110.4 million in grants to be used for the care of patients
who request and qualify for financial subsidies.
The hospitals received amounts ranging from P200,000 to P5 million.
The grant of financial assistance to IPs and public hospitals are another way to extend the
PCSO’s services across the country.
Atty. Rojas is vice chairman and general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.