ILOILO CITY — The Office of the Presidential Assistant in the Visayas (OPAV) will set up “Malasakit Desks” in Western Visayas before the end of the year.
This was announced by Presidential Assistant in the Visayas Michael Dino in a press conference here Monday.
Dino said the “Malasakit Desk” is a one-stop-shop to be established in government-run hospitals mainly to help the poorest of the poor seeking health-related programs and benefits from the government.
Dino said the cities of Iloilo and Bacolod are among the pilot areas where the program will be carried out but the hospitals are yet to be identified.
The program will be implemented in partnerships with the regional line agencies in Western Visayas such as the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
“These four agencies will send representatives in each hospital. We will be establishing a room for them where individuals could go to ask for guidance,” he said.
Prior to that, Dino said that a health officer will also be assigned to assess individuals if they are qualified to seek assistance from the “Malasakit Desk.”
Aside from the cities of Iloilo and Bacolod in Western Visayas, Dino said that “Malasakit Desks” will also be established in four hospitals in Cebu City, two in Bohol, and one each in the provinces of Samar and Tacloban.
Dino said he is yet to meet with DOH-6 regional director Marlyn Convocar to discuss the program.
He will also meet with Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. on Tuesday together with the local chief executives in the province to hear their concerns and also discuss the “Malasakit Desk.” (Cindy Ferrer/PNA)
