DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio led the groundbreaking of Pagkalinga sa Bayan, a one-stop shop where all medical assistance offered by the national and city governments will be housed in one building located inside the compound of Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC). It is designed for the public's convenience and accessibility.
The construction of the three-storey center is expected to start in the first half of 2018 and will run for six months. The National Government allocated P25 million for the project.
Lingap sa Mahirap, Philippine Charity and Sweepstakes Office, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) will be housed in one building for those seeking financial assistance, funeral/burial assistance, and pharmaceutical assistance.
Duterte-Carpio thanked the concerned government agencies for heeding her call and believing in the City Government's initiative that seeks to provide easier access to government services.
"We initiated this because the patients and their families have to go to different offices to ask for financial assistance," Duterte-Carpio said, adding that the Pagkalinga sa Bayan will help save time for the families.
She added that the social funds of the Office of the President will also be included and they are also inviting different representatives of different districts to also join in Pagkalinga sa Bayan.
When asked whether it will be applicable to all the residents beyond the city, she said that they are still studying the possibility. However, she said that PCSO, DSWD, Pagcor have been assisting patients regardless of their residences.
"Allow me to also congratulate the City Government for coming up with the one-stop shop. I think it has always been my dream. Remember we have the Lingap in several areas here in the institution. We started with the small Lingap near where the outpatient is but it grew bigger so we decided to put Lingap sa Mahirap run by the City Government right in front of the emergency and we wanted to improve patient’s experience," SPMC chief Leopoldo Vega said.
Vega said that he did not think twice when the Mayor proposed to him their intention of establishing a one-stop-shop that will cater to the patients.
"We wanted to improve the way that patients will be given access to all the support of the government and so when Mayor Sara and attorney Zuleika came over and said that we are putting in a one stop shop, without any hesitation as head, that's the best thing to improve patient experience," he said.
Meanwhile, Davao City Social Services and Development Office Maria Luisa Bermudo, in a separate interview, said that since the soft opening of Pagkalinga sa Bayan last February to October this year, they have assisted around 66,000 patients.
On the daily average, they usually cater 300 to 400 patients.
They also hope that the budget for Lingap sa Mahirap will increase so that more less fortunate citizens will be accommodated and provided with assistance by the government. This year, they have a budget of around P100 million.