CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — At least 754 patients in Central Luzon have so far benefited from the Libreng Gamot Para sa Masa (Lingap) program by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Lingap is a project of President Rodrigo Duterte that provides PHP1 billion to fund medicine assistance for indigent patients.
The “Lingap” program started in Central Luzon on February 22, 2017, a week after the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the DSWD and Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital (JBLMRH) in Pampanga.
Records from the DSWD Field Office III showed that a total of PHP9.04 million has been utilized for the medicines of 754 indigent patients from February to March 2017.
Of the total patients, 510 were family heads and other needy adults, 223 senior citizens and 21 youth.
Most of the patients are suffering from chronic kidney disease, hypertension, heart problem, diabetes and cancer.
Marion Cajulao, 30, a kidney disease patient for six years, is thankful that there is “Lingap” program.
“Thank you for the program of President Duterte. It is really a big help for me and my family,” he said.
Marion’s father, the only breadwinner in the family, earns PHP250 a month as a security guard.
“We do not have other source of income to sustain Marion’s medical treatment. We are thankful that there is Libreng Gamot Para sa Masa,” Marion’s mother said.
Under the program guidelines, indigents who are either confined in or receiving out-patient treatment from identified hospital and need prescription medicines are qualified to become beneficiaries of “Lingap”.
Per guidelines, those who want to avail of free medicines should provide a valid identification card (ID), proof of indigency such as barangay certificate or certification issued by the medical social service, and the doctor’s prescription, which should have been issued in the past three months. (Zorayda S. Tecson/PNA)