PhilHealth launches Z Benefits in Camarines Sur

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, July 10 (PIA) -- A benefit package envisioned to improve the health of its members and provide them financial risk protection was launched by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in cooperation with the Bicol Medical Center (BMC) this morning at the BMC Auditorium here.

Dubbed PhilHealth Zeta Benefits or Z Benefits, the program contains a comprehensive treatment package for catastrophic illnesses. These refers to any illness considered as life threatening and requires prolonged hospitalization, expensive therapies or other forms of treatment that can exhaust or deplete the financial resources of the family.

Dr. Orlando D. Iñigo, Jr., PhilHealth ROV regional vice president said during the press conference that Camarines Sur was chosen as the launching site for the event since it is where BMC is located, the contracted hospital of PhilHealth which will provide three out of four packages under the Z benefits.

The illnesses covered by the package include Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), breast cancer, prostate cancer and kidney transplant. Each infirmity covers a specific amount of assistance plus the necessary services like payment for room and board, drugs and medicines, laboratory and operating room fees, professional fees and other mandatory services during the entire course of treatment.

Dr. Veronica T. Mateum, Health Care Delivery and Management Division chief said the coverage though is limited to a certain stage or degree of illness.

“We want to make it clear that there are certain stages which can be covered by the ZBenefit packages. For ALL patients, we can only cover those categorized under the standard risk in children for P210,000. For breast cancer, it should be on its early stage, from 0 to IIIA stage while for prostate cancer, we can only accommodate patients with low to intermediate risk for P100,000 each. For those Philhealth members requiring kidney transplants, we can only cover those under the low risk category, which has a covered amount of P600,000,” Mateum said.

All eligible Philhealth members under the Employed Sector, Individually paying, lifetime Member Program, sponsored program and overseas Workers Program members including their qualified dependents are covered with this newest package. All Philhealth sponsored program members shall also be covered by the No Balance Billing (NBB) Policy for specified cases.

The Z package was earlier launched at the Malacañang Palace by President Benigno S. Aquino III in line with our country’s commitment to achieve the Millennium Development Goal, which pushes for the realization of the universal health care among others. (MAL/LSM-PIA Camarines Sur)



OPAPP turns over Pamana Projects 2011 to Sorsogon beneficiaries

By Benilda A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, July 10 (PIA) -- Ten out of the 12 Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (Pamana) Projects 2011 for Sorsogon were turned over by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) on July 4 in a ceremony at the Provincial Gymnasium.

The projects were turned over to six municipalities which have completed the projects. Gubat town, also a beneficiary of the Pamana project, has yet to complete the final phase. Completed projects are as follows:

Under agricultural production, Juban town completed its Marine Reserve Sanctuary Development Project (Phase 1) in Brgy. Sablayan (P1-M).

For infrastructure road type: Barcelona – concreting of 560m x 4m farm to market road (FMR) in Brgy. San Isidro (P2.8 M); Casiguran – concrete paving of 1,000 meter FMR from Bactolan, Tiris to San Ramon, Burgos Road (P3-M); Juban – concrete paving of Tublijon-Sipaya Road, (P3 M); Pto. Diaz – concrete paving of FMR from Cogon to San Rafael (P3 M); and Irosin – concreting of Buenavista-San Isidro-Batang FMR, (P2.5 M).

Under eco-tourism development: Irosin – establishment of Eco-Tourism Center in Brgy. Salvacion (P2 M); Magallanes – improvement of Parola Beach (P2 M) and of Sta. Lourdes Grotto (P1 M) both in Brgy. Behia, and improvement of Bucal-bucalan Spring in Aguada Sur (P2 M).

A project site turn-over in Juban town for the concreting of Tublijon-Sipaya Road was also held.

PAMANA is the national government’s program and framework for peace and development and is a complementary track to peace negotiations that responds to development needs of the grass root communities.

During the turn-over ceremony, Assistant Secretary Romulo B. Halabaso narrated that Pamana aims to achieve lasting peace using three pillars: Pillar 1 which refers to policy reforms that establish the foundation of peace, thus improve governance; Pillar 2 which promotes the convergent delivery of services and goods focused on households and communities, thus reduce poverty; and Pillar 3 that link conflict affected areas to markets and promote jobs generation in provincial or municipal government, thus empower communities. “All Pamana projects for Sorsogon are under Pillar 3.

Asec. Halabaso, commended local officials of the province and the local chief executives and officials of the seven municipalities who went through the process to accomplish the Pamana projects and which are now enjoyed by thousands of beneficiaries because of its successful implementation.

He also assured the people of Sorsogon of the continuous support of President Benigno Aquino III through the OPAPP to achieve the administration’s peace and development agenda in the very near future.

Sorsogon Provincial Management Office Executive Director Sally A. Lee said that for Sorsogon, economic development through eco-tourism growth, road accessibility and provision of livelihood opportunities are seen as the main strategies that will contribute to the economic integration of conflict-affected areas to bigger economic growth areas of the province and eventually of the Bicol region.

She also thanked the Aquino administration for including the province among the list of priorities in its peace and development agenda. (MAL/BAR-PIA5 Sorsogon)