5 govt hospitals in Manila now charging fees

Ospital ng Maynila / Wiki Commons

Five out of six government hospitals in Manila are now charging patients who are not from the city for treatment, according to a report on GMA News’ Saksi” on Monday.

Following the passage of Manila Ordinance 8331, the five hospitals will charge non-Manila residents for confinement and other services.

“Libre ‘yan para sa mga taga-Maynila, yung mga mahihirap sa Maynila. Pero kung hindi taga-Maynila [ay] magbabayad na sila,” said Mayor Joseph Estrada, a former Philippine president.

These hospitals are:

• Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center
• Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital
• Sampaloc Hospital
• Ospital ng Maynila
• Sta. Ana Hospital

Tondo Hospital, meanwhile, will postpone its collection of fees until March, the report said.

A separate report on GMA News TV’s “State of the Nation” said Manila residents will still have to pay although with discounts.

The amount of the discount will be determined by Manila’s social welfare department based on its evaluation of the patient’s salary bracket.

“’Yun ang ultimate na target—maibigay sa mga taga-Maynila kung ano ang naibibigay sa private hospital. Yung quality ng service, quality ng care, pati yung top-of-the-line equipment,” said Dr. Arsenio Pascual, assistant medical director of Ospital ng Maynila.

Indigent patients and holders of Orange Cards are still exempted from paying fees, the report said.

The Department of Health has approved Manila’s initiative, saying such steps are necessary to improve healthcare around the country.

Fees collected from patients will go into the rehabilitation of hospital facilities, including the replacement of hospital beds and insect extermination.

“[If they] don’t get funding or get reduced funding, the services will suffer. It’s for the people,” said Dr. Ernesto Acosta, director of Ospital ng Maynila.