The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is committed to revisiting its policy on expanding medical assistance provided under the Malasakit Centers through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program.

Senator Imee Marcos, who is the principal sponsor of the DSWD’s 2025 budget, assured the senators during last Tuesday’s (November 19) plenary budget deliberation, that the AICS program can undergo revision to include the Malasakit Centers.

This came after Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go asked if the DSWD could revise its AICS guidelines to include the provision of medical assistance to qualified beneficiaries in Malasakit Centers while waiting for the proposed Joint Administrative Order (JAO) between the DSWD, Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PSCO), which has yet to sign the JAO.

“Yes . Kaya nga nagpilot kasi sinusubukan nila kung maaari naman mag-email ‘yung Social Welfare Officer mula sa Malasakit Center, wala nang pupunta sa kung saan-saan pa, hindi na tsinutsubibo ‘yung pasyente na pupunta pa kung saan-saang opisina. Itong sa pilot, kung tuloy-tuloy at maganda ang takbo, ito na ang alternatibo doon sa JAO na hindi mabuo,” Senator Marcos explained in reply to Senator Go’s query.

The JAO, already signed by the DSWD, DOH, and PhilHealth, aims to expand the medical assistance for indigent patients in Malasakit Centers.

Based on the JAO No. 2020-0001 or the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the Medical and Financial Assistance to Indigent and Financially-Incapacitated Patients under Republic Act No. 11463, also known as the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, “the DSWD shall provide financial assistance for transportation, food, burial, general assistive devices not offered by other participating agencies, and outright cash for other financial needs.”

Once all the concerned agencies have signed the new JAO, the DSWD can start providing medical-related assistance to beneficiaries in Malasakit Centers and they need not proceed to the DSWD Field Offices or Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) Offices in the provinces.

The Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop located in various hospitals of the DOH, including the Philippine General Hospital, and other public hospitals nationwide where needy patients, as well as those who are currently financially incapacitated, can access medical and financial assistance from various government agencies such as the DSWD, PhilHealth, and the PCSO. (YADP)

Tagalog Version

Programang AICS rerebisahin ng DSWD para maisama ang tulong medikal sa Malasakit Centers

Nakahandang rebisahin ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) ang polisiya ng Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) upang maisama ang tulong medikal para sa Malasakit Centers.

Sa kabila nito, nagbigay katiyakan naman si Senator Imee Marcos, principal sponsor ng DSWD 2025 budget, sa mga myembro ng Senado na maaaring i-rebisa ng DSWD ang AICS program para maisama ang Malasakit Centers.

Ang nasabing pahayag ay bilang tugon na rin kay Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go kung saan nagsabi itong kung maaaring i-revise ng DSWD ang AICS guidelines upang maibilang na sa probisyon nito ang medical assistance sa mga qualified beneficiaries ng Malasakit Centers. Ito aniya ay habang hinihintay ang Joint Administrative Order (JAO) sa pagitan ng DSWD, Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), at Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PSCO.

“Yes . Kaya nga nagpilot kasi sinusubukan nila kung maaari naman mag-email ‘yung Social Welfare Officer mula sa Malasakit Center, wala nang pupunta sa kung saan-saan pa, hindi na tsinutsubibo ‘yung pasyente na pupunta pa kung saan-saang opisina. Itong sa pilot, kung tuloy-tuloy at maganda ang takbo, ito na ang alternatibo doon sa JAO na hindi mabuo,” sabi ni Senator Marcos.

Batay sa JAO, na nilagdaan ng DSWD, DOH, at PhilHealth, palalawakin nito ang tulong medikal ng mga indigent patients ng Malasakit Centers.

Nakasaad sa JAO No. 2020-0001 o Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the Medical and Financial Assistance to Indigent and Financially-Incapacitated Patients under Republic Act No. 11463, o kilala bilang Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, “the DSWD shall provide financial assistance for transportation, food, burial, general assistive devices not offered by other participating agencies, and outright cash for other financial needs.”

Sakaling malagdaan ang bagong JAO, maaari ng simulant ng DSWD ang pagbibigay ng medical-related assistance sa mga beneficiaries ng Malasakit Centers at hindi na kailangan pang magtungo sa mga DSWD Field Offices o Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) Offices sa mga lalawigan.

Ang Malasakit Center ay isang one-stop shop na nasa iba’t-ibang public hospitals sa bansa at nagbibigay ng tulong sa mga pasyenteng nangangailangan ng financial assistance para sa gamot. # (MVC)