COLLECTIVE EFFORT. On September 26, Davao City was given the Presidential award for the fifth time since 1998 as the Most Child-friendly City, but Maria Luisa Bermudo, chief of the City Social Service and Development Office says that the award was a product of the efforts of the city's various departments, civil society organizations, people's organizations, and barangay councils.(Paulo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)

Maria Luisa Bermudo, chief of the City Social Service and Development Office (Paulo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)

DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Individuals waiting outside the City Mayor’s Office to seek Lingap Para sa Mahirap (Lingap) health services expressed their support to the City’s one-stop health service center project for easier and faster transaction.

In a City Information Office (CIO) dispatch, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio already approved the P40-million one-stop facility where agencies providing health services will be set up for easy accessibility.

The two-storey building will be constructed at the compound of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) and to be funded by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

It will house the offices of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the City Social Service and Development Office (CSSDO), and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

Adelaida Cambare, 49 years old, a resident of Matina Aplaya and also a two -year Lingap beneficiary because of the on-going dialysis of her husband said that the proposed one-stop health service center will be a huge help especially on the processing time and fare for those who needed financial assistance.

“Dili lalim ang process diri kay maski asa gud magpila, pero kay dako mani ug makatabang sa atoa pareha namo na naglisod so kailangan jud mi maglinya diri para matabangan (It’s not easy to process (in Lingap) because there are a lot of requirements and we still have to wait in line since this is a huge help for us who are in need),” she said.

Cambare said that in the current Lingap process, she has to start processing at 8 a.m. to be able to finish on that same day.

“Mas okay jud kung naa didtoa na tanan SPMC kay duol ra, kesa diri (City Hall) na layo tas ang oras pa kay daghan jud baya tao diria (If there will be a one-stop health service center in SPMC, it will be much better because its nearer unlike here in the City Hall which is so far from the SPMC, time consuming, and full of people),” she said.

“The mayor wants all the health-related agencies to be in one area to shorten the processing of patients’ documents,” said Maria Luisa Bermudo, chief of CSSDO.

She said the one-stop health service center will provide convenience to patients and their families, specially to indigent patients who needs financial support from government agencies.(davaotoday.com)

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