BY CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod deferred action on the authority requested by Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez to sign a memorandum of agreement with a local hospital for the implementation of city’s Comprehensive Health Care Program (BacCHP), seeking more clarification.
Lengthy discussions centered on the source of fund provided in the MOA between the city and the Metro Bacolod Hospital and Medical Center amounting to P15,000, which the city is supposed to guarantee for each BacCHP cardholder and their dependent’s hospital bills.
Councilor Al Victor Espino said this is the first time in his entire career as a public servant that a MOA “with fill in the blanks” was submitted to the SP. So, he proposed that they set a special session to get more details particularly the source of fund of the P15,000 intended for each BacCHP holder.
The MOA was signed by the officials of the hospital but did not bear the signature of Benitez. It did not indicate the number of patients who can avail of the program and also had no date.
City Administrator Pacifico Maghari and City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting cited that the P15,000 will come from PhilHealth, national government, healthcare agency grants and Pagcor when asked by Councilor Em Ang on the source of funds.
Ang pointed out that if the funds will be sourced from the city government, this will need an appropriation ordinance.
“If we issue a guarantee, the city will have an obligation to pay. So, before we approve, we need to know where the source of fund will come from,” she said adding that they need to follow procedures.
Ang also pointed out that the “no balance billing” guaranteed to cardholders of the BacCHP cards, as what she has read in official publications, is not true.
And if the constituents of Bacolod will be given BacCHP cards, they would choose going to private rather than government hospitals. For sure, there will be a deluge of BacCHP holders seeking treatment in private hospitals, she added.
Councilor Claudio Puentevella said Abang Lingkod Party list is willing to commit between P3 to P5 million.*
