Sorsogon Hospitals - Health Care

Last January 18, 2008, Project LOGOFIND was implemented by the provincial government of Sorsogon. The aim of this effort is to conduct major renovations in provincial hospitals in Sorsogon as well as the establishment of birthing facilities throughout the province.

Prior to the launch of LOGOFIND, groundbreaking ceremonies for the expansion and repair of Donsol District Hospitals operating and delivery room and the establishment of a birthing facility inside the Rural Health Unit (RHU) of Pilar were conducted at the same time.

These projects were part of six loan packages given to the provincial government of Sorsogon by the Department of Finance (DoF) through its Municipal Development Fund Office. The construction of the hospitals is estimated at PHP7,000,000.

Earlier groundbreaking ceremonies were conducted with the repair and renovation of the Dr. Fernando B. Duran, Sr. Memorial Hospital and the setting up of a laboratory inside the premises of the Provincial Health Office.

LOGOFIND is a US project worth $60 million financed by the World Bank and implemented by the Municipal Development Fund Office of the Department of Finance. The project aims to provide financial and technical aid to local governments in order to improve and hasten the delivery of basic services by enhancing local facilities and improving the capacity of its constituents in mobilizing and generating their resources.

According to Governor Lee, with the LOGOFIND projects, the provincial government is hoping to improve basic services of the different hospitals in Sorsogon as well as other health facilities.

Meanwhile, a total of 8,000 families were granted free Phil Health membership cards by the city government. This is part of the local governments efforts to offer hospitalization benefits for the poor families of Sorsogon.

According to Leovic Dioneda, Sorsogon City Mayor, said that the distribution of the membership cards would be done by clustering the different barangays of the city. This is to enhance proper dissemination of information on the use and value of the Phil Health cards.

According to Mayor Dioneda, the 8,000 Phil Health cards will be free of charge to the same number of families in Sorsogon Citys 74 barangays. He added that the head of the family and their dependents would be covered by health insurance for a period of one year.

The provision of health insurance is in connection with the mayor's Kalusugan Para sa Masa program which aims to provide poor families with access to medical services in hospitals in Sorsogon.

With the Phil Health membership card, the beneficiaries would be entitled to receive medical benefits, professional services, and room rates depending on the covered amount that will be shouldered by the Philippine Health Insurance. As long as the health insurance provider is accredited by Phil Health, all expenses will be directly remitted to the hospital.

Moreover, Mayor Dioneda is aware that poor families are facing difficulties in availing of services in hospitals in Sorsogon whenever any member of the family becomes sick or gets injured. This was the main driving force behind the free health insurance.

On the other hand, public hospitals, especially those managed by the province, faces the problem of providing free services to poor families because they do not have the manpower, equipment, and facilities.

Mayor Dioneda cited the experience of Sorsogon Provincial Hospital. Although situated in an expensive building, this hospital in Sorsogon has been subjected to continuous complaints due to poor services and lack of sufficient medicine and supplies.

He concluded that this hospital in Sorsogon as well as other government-owned facilities in the province are more keen on taking in patients who have health insurance coverage from Phil Health.