Mindanaotoday.com | Young artists posterize PhilHealth in 150 minutes
By: Uriel Quilinguing
THERE is no agency in Philippine government that offers benefit packages for all, from the time a fetus is formed to the time a lifeless human body is laid to rest, and that’s Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or PHIC. To most Filipinos, it’s PhilHealth!
Capturing “from womb-to-tomb” packages of benefits which PhilHealth offers to every citizen on a 15-inch-by-20-inch size illustration board, using multi-colored pastels, pens, water-color or mixed medium was a challenge.
Twenty young artists, about 15 to 16 years old and currently enrolled as Grade-10 high school students in Northern Mindanao accepted the invitation to an On-the-Spot Poster Contest that PhilHealth-10 organized.
With their coaches, they reported at the Rotunda of the Limketkai Mall in Barangay Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro shortly past noon of Thursday, March 23, this year.
It was past 2 p.m. when Merlyn Ybañez, the head of PhilHealth-10’s public affairs unit, opened the activity which, as she pointed out, was one of the highlights of the Health Insurance Month. PhilHealth also marked its 28th anniversary on February 14.
“This is the first on-the-spot poster making contest, after 12 years,” said Ybañez, optimistic that involving the young could help create greater public awareness on the government’s health programs.
Participating schools were announced, the contestants and their respective coaches named, and seats were assigned to the aspiring poster-makers.
But the electronic clock has yet to be set at 2:30.00 – the time allotment for the contest.
While waiting, PhilHealth-10 Regional Vice President Delio Aseron II gave them and all those anxiously waiting for results a glimpse of the Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama (Konsulta), the latest primary health care benefit package for all direct and indirect PHIC members.
The Konsulta package consists of targeted health-risk screening and assessment, initial and follow up consultations, selected laboratory tests, drugs and medicines as needed by the patients and as recommend by their primary care physician.
“Nobody should die without having checked by a hospital,” said Aseron. “You should feel health.”
Finally, the competition began…
The participating schools were: Agusan NHS, Balulang NHS, Bayabas NHS, Cagayan de Oro NHS, Capitol University Basic Education Department, Carmen NHS, East Gusa NHS, Emmanuel Mission International School, Gusa Regional Science HS, Kong Hua School, Macabalan NHS, Mary Child School, Oro Christian Grace School, Phinma Cagayan de Oro College, Philippine Christian College, Puerto NHS, Saint Mary’s School, Southern Philippines College, Xavier University Junior High School, and Yumbing NHS (Camiguin).
Members of a panel of judges were Genzart Gallery owner and artist Genevieve Estrada; portrait artist Lloyd Hinosolango, president of Artsada Kagay-an; and visual artist Jayson Labtan of Oro Arts Guild.
After 150 minutes, entry numbers were tagged on the 20 artworks, and assessed for visualization, originality, artistry, and articulation of the 28th PhilHealth Anniversary theme: “Pinalawak at Mga Bagong Benepisyo para sa Mamamayang Pilipino.”
Five entries were declared winners. Cash and medals were awarded to Albeah Joy Dagondon of Yumbing National High School, Camiguin, 2nd; Fruji Sabello Jr. of Gusa Regional Science High School, 3rd; Marcher Capablanca of Bayabas NHS, 4th; and Santiago Avenido Jr. of Puerto NHS, 5th.
They, as well as the 15 other budding creative artists, captured the health benefit packages of PhilHealth on a poster that would eventually hand on walls of PhilHealth-10 and local health insurance offices in the region. (MT)
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