5K indigents get over P34-M medical aid from PCSO

MANILA – The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has released more than PHP34 million in medical assistance to 5,082 eligible indigent beneficiaries nationwide.

In a statement Sunday, PCSO General Manager Royina Garma said the total amount of assistance was given to beneficiaries from April 19 to 23.

The Medical Access Program (MAP), formerly known as the Individual Medical Assistance Program (IMAP), is designed to augment the medical assistance intended for indigent Filipinos, particularly for hospital confinement, chemotherapy, dialysis, and post-transplant medicines.

The program is funded by revenues from PCSO games nationwide.

Among the beneficiaries were 717 individuals from the National Capital Region (NCR) who received a total of PHP6.7 million, and 1,289 individuals from Northern and Central Luzon who were given PHP8.9 million.

In the Southern Tagalog and Bicol Regions, about PHP6.9 million was released to 1,284 indigents.

In the Visayas, the PCSO also assisted 952 individuals who were provided with PHP6.1 million in medical aid, while 840 individuals in Mindanao received PHP5.6 million in benefits.

Garma said the agency continues to provide medical assistance to the increasing number of indigents seeking help from PCSO amid the coronavirus disease crisis.

“Rest assured that the agency will find ways to meet the medical and health-related needs of all Filipinos, especially the marginalized,” she said.