DSWD makes it easy for the poor to access “LinGaP SA MASA” program

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is making it easy for indigents to access free medicine through the “Libreng Gamot Para Sa Masa” (LinGaP SA MASA) program. (PNA photo)

MANILA—The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is making it easy for indigents to access free medicine through the “Libreng Gamot Para Sa Masa” (LinGaP SA MASA) program.

In an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) Friday, DSWD Protective Service Bureau director, Ma. Alicia Bonoan, said that as part of making the process easy, social workers have been deployed to the six hospitals that implement the program.

These are the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital for the National Capital Region (NCR); Jose B. Lingad Memorial Hospital in San Fernando City, Pampanga for Central Luzon; Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City for Western Visayas; Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City for Central Visayas; and Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City and Davao Regional Hospital in Tagum City, both for the Davao Region.

“Meron kaming desk doon sa (We have desks at the) social service department,” Bonoan said, adding that a patient’s representative or relative may coordinate with the social workers in the six hospitals for the processing of the “guarantee letter” for the medicines.

She clarified that no cash is being given under the program.

“There is no money being issued here, only the guarantee letter, which can be used for the purchase of the medicine,” she said, noting that after obtaining the medicine, the letter will be marked “ISSUED”.

She said the pharmacy will compute the cost of the medicines in the prescription issued by the attending physician while the DSWD social worker will assess if the patient qualifies for the assistance and the documents.

The patient needs to present a valid ID; the drug prescription containing the doctor’s signature, license number, and contact number; and the certificate of indigency from the barangay.

As of April 12, a total of PHP15.48 million has been used for the medicines of patients who have availed of the program, with PHP984,512,549.94 still available.

Of the total number of patients who have availed of free medicines, 1,124 beneficiaries were from Central Luzon, 467 from NCR, 295 from the Davao region, and 159 from Central Visayas.

Lingap, a project of President Rodrigo Duterte, has PHP1 billion in funds which indigent patients could avail of to buy their medication.

Some 2,137 individuals have already benefited from the program.

The program targets the poor, vulnerable or disadvantaged sector, the informal sector and those listed under the Listahan ng Mahihirap na Pamilya database; government employees especially those who are contractual; and the family or relatives of solidiers and policemen wounded while performing their duties.