Mindanaotoday.com | PhilHealth ensures financial risk protection for all IP communities
TRUE to its mandate to provide responsive health insurance coverage for all citizens of the Philippines, the PhilHealth Regional Office 10 (PhilHealth-10) has recently forged a partnership with the seven tribes of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in the province of Bukidnon.
The partnership was highlighted by the “Pagdang-ul Panablay” rites, a solemn ceremony where IP leaders officially accept and welcome outsiders with good intentions into their community.
As part of this cultural tradition and to show gratitude, the IP leaders ordained Regional Vice President Delio A. Aseron II and Local Health Insurance Office-Bukidnon Chief Romulo M. Lapuz Jr. as a bona fide Datus and were given lumad names: RVP Aseron as “Datu Salimbangon” which means an instrument connecting life; and Chief Lapuz as “Datu Kilala” recognizing his effort in bridging the seven tribal communities to the different programs of PhilHealth.
According to Datu Victorino “Migketay” Saway, one of the IP leaders, the partnership is a “big opportunity” for the lumad communities, noting that a lot of the lumads in the province are not aware of the various programs of PhilHealth and still rely on traditional methods in treating diseases instead of availing their readily available benefits, be preventive or curative medical intervention. (PhilHealth-10)
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