Mindanaotoday.com | Oro city gov’t among PhilHealth awardees
By: URIEL QUILINGUING
The city government of Cagayan de Oro and its Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama (KonSulTa) provider in Barangay Carmen were among the 72 recipients of this year’s “Pahinungod” awards of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) Northern Mindanao.
Spearheaded by PhilHealth Northern Mindanao Regional Vice President Delio Aseron II, the “Pahinungod” was held at Cagayan de Oro’s Limketkai Luxe Hotel ballroom on Monday, October 23, this year.
PhilHealth Board Member Rene Elias Lopez (Employers Group) and Vice President for Mindanao (Area IV) Gregorio Rolluda graced the occasion who, with Aseron, handed the recognitions to groups and individuals who have been making “selfless offering” of themselves for the implementation of the Universal Health Care Law (Republic Act No. 11223).
Under the UHC Law, all Filipinos are automatically entitled to PhilHealth benefits, including comprehensive outpatient services. PhilHealth will be responsible for purchasing all individual-based services, including supplies, medicines, and commodities, as well as maintenance and operating expense of health facilities.
PhilHealth KonSulTa is UHC’s primary outpatient benefit package, ensuring all are guaranteed equitable access to quality and affordable health are goods and services, and protcted against financial risks.
“We cannot do these solely by ourselves without the support of our partners,” Aseron said in his opening message. The full implementation of the UHC Law is set in 2025.
Cagayan de Oro was cited as “Top Performing Employer,” along with 21 others for timely remittance of membership premiums for the period January 2022 to June 2023. Only two other recipients are local governments, Tangub City and Quezon municipality of Bukidnon.
Lawyer Roy Hilario Raagas, Cagayan de Oro’s city administrator, received the “Pahinungod” on behalf of Mayor Rolando Uy.
The other 18 employers PhilHealth Northern Mindanao recognized with “Pahinungod” certificates of recognition were private entities, associations, cooperatives, schools, and national line agency in the region.
All of them have been using the Philhealth Online Electronic Premium Remittance System (EPRS) since last year.
KONSULTA PROVIDERS
Barangay Carmen, Cagayan de Oro’s biggest village in terms of population, land area, and income, as a KonSulTa Provider (KP) is one of six recipients of the “Pahinungod” plaques of recognition in Northern Mindanao.
They were the “Top Performing KonSulTa Providers” for having the highest number of first patient encounter (FPE) conducted for the January 2023 to June 2023 period, as indicated in the plaque citation.
Medical Doctor Efren Celeste, department manager of the City Health Insurance Office, received the “Pahinungod” for CDO Carmen KP.
The other five awardees were Maramag KP in Bukidnon, Maria Cristina KP in Iligan City, Jasaan Rural Health Unit KP in Misamis Oriental, Kapatagan KP in Lanao del Norte, and St. Padre Pio Dialysis Center in Misamis Occidental.
SPECIAL AWARDEES
PhilHealth Northern Mindanao recognized 16 individuals and seven agencies and organizations for initiatives in advocating the KonSulTa package, PhilHealth’s primary healthcare program that makes consultation, laboratory tests, and medicines available to the members.
Among the personalities of note who received the “Pahinungod” were Olympic silver medalist for boxing Carlo Paalam, former Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) National President Burt Estrada (Datu Manhanayan), retired Brigadier General Glenn Macasero of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and renown Talaandig leader Victorino “Datu
Migkitay” Saway of Lantapan, Bukidnon.
Among the seven group awardees was the National Bureau of Investigation North Eastern Mindanao Regional Office which has inked a memorandum of agreement with PhilHealth Northern Mindanao to scrutinize what could be fraudulent claims.
‘MOST SUPPORTIVE’
PhilHealth Northern Mindanao also recognized 13 organizations and eight individuals in the media industry who have been “most supportive” to PhilHealth’s UHC program.
Recipients of the “Pahinungod” plaque were The Monitor Mindanao Today, Brigada News FM Cagayan de Oro, Magnum Radyo, RPN DXKO Cagayan de Oro, Radio Mindanao Network DXMB Malaybalay, DXZD Like Radio Gingoog, Ozamiz City-based DXDD Dan-ag sa Dakbayan Broadcasting Corporation, and Philippine Information Agency-10, among others.
Editor-in-Chief Gerry Caño received the plaque of recognition for The Monitor Mindanao Today and Regional Director Franklin Gumapon for PIA-10’s.
DWBL TV Radyo Host Hilda Ong, AFP Radyo DWDD Anchor Teena Shotwell Clemente, News Director Menzie Montes of Radio Mindanao Network Cagayan de Oro (DXCC and I-FM), Operations Manager Joseph Aries Señara of Brigada News FM Cagayan de Oro, Bombo Radyo Cagayan de Oro Commentator James Licuanan, The Monitor Mindanao Today Editorial Consultant Uriel Quilinguing, Philippine News Agency-10 Head Nef Luczon, and Philippine Information Agency-10 Executive Assistant Wilmer Carabanes were the individual awardees.
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