Medical assistance options in the Philippines should be known to every Filipino before they are actually needed. It is easy enough to ignore them during good times when financial and health worries are the farthest from one’s mind. Once sickness strikes, people are thrown into a very stressful world where getting well is not the only problem. For most Filipinos who have treatable diseases but are not financially able to support the required treatments, it is almost equivalent to having a disease with no cure in sight.

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What Every Filipino Hopes to Have

Every Filipino would like to have the capability to address their health and treatment needs whenever they arise. No one would want to be caught unprepared for such eventualities. However, the reality of today’s living barely allows individuals and families to regularly set aside an amount of money for future medical expenses in private hospitals under the care of private doctors and medical specialists, if necessary.

The logic is quite simple. How is it possible to set aside money when the income is not even enough for daily sustenance? Even for those who can be categorized as gainfully employed and would have some surplus after all expenses and bills have been paid, one serious or terminal illness can instantly cripple them financially. In times of intense medical distress, where can Filipinos turn to?

Medical Assistance Options in the Philippines

The Filipino culture has made it a natural practice to seek the help of family members, relatives, and even friends. There are two possibilities why this cannot be an option to consider. First is if the amount required is too big in relation to the financial capabilities of all family members combined. The other reason is exhaustion of financial resources due to a lingering illness. In cases like these, there is no other way but to seek the help of agencies and people who have been tasked to provide medical assistance to Filipinos in need.

Government (Public) Hospitals

Most government hospitals have a pay and charity department. To avail of charity services, a patient will need to register as a charity patient subject to minimal requirements such as valid IDs. Queues for this purpose are usually long and winding and will often require people to line up starting at early dawn and wait for a number of hours to be entertained and registered. Subsequent services such as check-ups and treatments will likewise require long and tedious waiting.

There are many government hospitals that boast of state-of-the-art medical facilities and the expertise of the best doctors in the country. There is actually no specific concern in this area except for government hospitals where these two are non-existent. Some cities and localities have made it possible to extend medical services to all residents.

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO)

The PCSO offers the Individual Medical Assistance Program or IMAP , the approval of which is subject to specific requirements. This would require the patient, the spouse or the nearest blood relation to make the application and go though the process of approval. The applicant will also be required to go through an interview and present all the necessary documents supporting his or her request.

Application for IMAP is usually entertained at the PCSO Office located in the Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City. Queuing also starts at early dawn to accommodate the big number of applicants who may be requesting for medicines, laboratory and diagnostic procedures, hospitalization, hearing aid, implants and prosthetic devices, wheelchair, or dialysis. Presentation of original documents is required.

National and Local Politicians

Many politicians have established funds to provide medical assistance to their constituents. Residents are usually the priority for local officials. National officials such as senators usually allocate part of their so-called pork barrel to hospitals although some establish their own foundations for such purpose.

Charities/Private Foundations

Many private individuals and groups provide medical assistance to needy communities in the country. While most provide general health services, a good number offer specialized services for specific health conditions. These are usually done with the cooperation of various corporate entities.

Foreign Medical Missions

Foreign medical missions are quite few and far between. They usually target remote areas that are not reached by regular medical missions. One advantage of this is the inclusion of a medical personnel possessing an expertise which is not available in the country.

My Say

Given these possible medical assistance options, every Filipino should try to provide basic protection and assistance to themselves by being a member of Philhealth, SSS, and other entities that can facilitate medical assistance as well. Being a member of a Cooperative is another way to have access to financial assistance in times of sickness.

I am quite glad to know that there are options available to people who are sick and in dire financial need. The only thing that disturbs me is the difference in the social treatment of hospital employees and other government employees between a paying patient and a charity patient. It is one excruciatingly painful thing to be practically begging for medical assistance but it could be a lot worse when the people we go to for help treat patients seeking help, devoid of human empathy and respect.