The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has released, as of May 31,  a total of P54,223,617.15 for the medicine requirements of  some 8,326 indigent patients from Regions III, VI, VII, XI and the National Capital Region (NCR) under its Libreng Gamot Para Sa Masa (Lingap Sa Masa) program

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.

DSWD implements the program in partnership with the following selected hospitals: University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital for NCR; Jose B. Lingad Memorial Hospital in San Fernando City, Pampanga for Central Luzon; Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City for Western Visayas; Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City for Central Visayas; and Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City and Davao Regional Hospital in Tagum City, both for the Davao Region.

Of the participating hospitals,  the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Hospital in San Fernando City, Pampanga registered the highest utilization to date with P24,406,137.43 worth of medicines accessed by 2,386 patients.

On the other hand,  some 2,280 patients in Region VI benefited from the free medicine program utilizing P6,550,281.24 of the P1B fund.

In Davao, 1,905 indigents were served in the two participating hospitals disbursing some P9,213,556.93.

Through the UP-PGH, Lingap reached out to 1,051 indigent patients, utilizing P8,154,921.75, while in Region VII, some P5,898,719.80 was spent for the medicines of 704 beneficiaries.

The DSWD continues to enjoin needy patients to access the free medicines program as there are more than P900M left in the budget provided by the Office of the President.

The indigent patients who may avail are the following: 1] Families or individuals who are indigent, vulnerable or disadvantaged; 2] Those in the informal sector and poor based on DSWD Listahanan; 3] Those who are in crisis situation based on assessment of social workers; 4] Employees and contract of service workers of government in crisis situation; and 5] Dependents of soldiers and police officers killed or wounded in  line of duty.

Those who want to benefit from the program must bring: 1] Any valid ID of the patient; 2] Any valid ID of representative and written authorization signed by the patient in favor of the representative; 3] Doctor’s prescription issued within the last three months, indicating date and name of patient, duly signed by attending physician, with his or her license number and contact details; 4] Proof of Indigency or Certificate issued by the barangay or medical social service of an identified hospital. They may also approach medical social workers assigned in the participating hospitals.

DSWD Sec. Judy Taguiwalo expressed hope that many Filipinos will utilize the program and maximize it.

“There remains much to be desired when it comes to our public healthcare system, and among the factors that stand in the way of Filipinos’ access to quality healthcare is the cost of medicine and medical procedures and treatment. Agencies like the DSWD contribute to efforts to make healthcare services more accessible to the poor and sectors in need. Lingap Para sa Masa is an important program we have which we hope will benefit many Filipinos. We are pushing for its 100% utilization,” she said. #