The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday emphasized that the only consideration to become a beneficiary for their medical assistance program is the assessment from registered social workers.Â
The DOH made the clarification after KABATAAN party-list representative Raoul Manuel said his office received reports from the Urban Poor Coordinating Council that certain community leaders are making beneficiaries sign forms pushing for Charter change, telling them that the move is needed for them to continue receiving government aid.
DOH deputy spokesperson Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said that only licensed social workers are the ones looking at the needs of the patients and their families to determine the appropriate financial assistance that should be provided.Â
“Ang tanging konsiderasyon ng DOH para sa pamamahagi ng tulong medikal para sa mga indigent at financially incapacitated na mga pasyente ay ang kanilang kalagayan na sinusuri ng isang lisensyadong social worker sa isang ospital o health facility,” he said.
(The only consideration of the DOH for the distribution of medical assistance for indigent and financially incapacitated patients is their circumstance as evaluated by a licensed social worker at a hospital or health facility.)
Opposition lawmakers Edcel Lagman and Raoul Manuel on Monday accused public officials of buying signatures and tricking people into signing documents pushing for Cha-cha.Â
Manuel showed a video where the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Tulong Panghanapbuhay Sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced workers (TUPAD) program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) were allegedly being used for the scheme.
GMA News Online has also reached out to DSWD and DOLE regarding the issue and will post their comments once available. —Giselle Ombay/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
