CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — The Department of Health (DOH)-10 highlighted its significant achievements in promoting and protecting the health of all Filipinos in northern Mindanao during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas on July 2, here.
Through the eight-point action agenda, we will be moving towards the achievement of the eight priority health outcomes, which is also the priority of His Excellency President Bongbong Marcos,” said DOH-10 Regional Director Dr. Sulpicio Henry Legaspi, Jr.
He reported that DOH-10 provided 9,632 services to 2,755 individuals at the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair in 2024. Additionally, the department participated in the Libreng Laboratoryo, Konsulta, at Gamot Para sa Lahat (LAB for All) Caravan, serving 1,467 individuals and providing a total of 4,992 services.
The Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients Program (MAIFIP) also proved to be a critical support system, accommodating 14,046 beneficiaries. This program ensures that the most vulnerable populations receive the necessary medical assistance.
“These medical assistance truly helps our patients because it somehow assuages ‘yung hesitation nila and ‘yung pag-aalala kasi wala silang pambayad. Pero ngayon, these are being offered by MAIFIP. Ang pasyente natin ngayon is wala ng out-of-pocket expense dahil sa MAIFIP program na being implemented by our government,” said Legaspi.
(These medical assistance truly helps our patients because it somehow eases their visitation and their worry because they have nothing to pay for. These are now offered by MAIFIP. Our patient now has no out-of-pocket expenses due to the MAIFIP program being implemented by our government.)
In terms of infrastructure, the Health Facilities Enhancement Program completed 116 health projects worth P605.4 million. These projects are vital to enhancing the healthcare delivery system across northern Mindanao.
Moreover, through the Health Regulatory Program, DOH-10 monitored 142 facilities throughout 2024 to ensure compliance and maintain quality standards. Another significant milestone was the inauguration of the Amai Pakpak Medical Center (APMC) Heart Institute, which included the signing of a second memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Heart Center.
Legaspi also highlighted the deployment of 1,788 human resources for health as of April 30, a critical factor in bolstering the region’s healthcare capacity. He said the transfer of 17 land ambulances to various facilities further strengthens the region’s emergency response capabilities.
As for DOH-10’s commitment to mental health, the regional director said that in October 2023, the department led the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement for the Regional Mental Health Council. Training programs for doctors and nurses in primary care facilities aim to reduce mental health service costs and make services more accessible, especially in areas lacking psychiatric professionals.
Winning the fight vs COVID-19
Magnifying the department’s COVID-19 response, the regional director shared that the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) Satellite COVID-19 Laboratory received recognition as the Top Laboratory with Exemplary Best Practices in Leadership and Governance. This accolade underscores the lab’s significant contributions during the pandemic.
Furthermore, the region’s vaccination efforts have been robust. The COVID-Resbakuna program vaccinated over 3.3 million individuals, with 997,284 receiving at least one booster dose.
To sustain support for frontline healthcare workers battling the COVID-19 pandemic, Legaspi announced the extension of the Health Emergency Allowance (HEA) program. This initiative, originally introduced to alleviate the financial burden on health workers, has now reached a milestone of distributing P1.9 billion to 330,000 health personnel across the government and private sectors.
Mao na siya ang naghatag sa amo og assistance para sa amoa nga nag-provide pud mi og services sa community. We were very happy, and we were very thankful for the assistance nga nadawat namo, especially sa HEA, because it has helped us nga magamit namo sa among daily needs,” said Vanessa Jean Longcob of the Misamis Oriental Provincial Health Office.
(This gave us assistance so that we could also provide services to the community. We were very happy, and we were very thankful for the assistance we received, especially the HEA, because it has helped us with our daily needs.)
Legaspi said these accomplishments by DOH-10 underscore their unwavering dedication to improving the health and well-being of the people in northern Mindanao.
The Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas by the Philippine Information Agency aims to provide accurate information on government programs, foster public engagement, promote transparency, increase public awareness, encourage civic participation, support good governance, and empower citizens for informed decision-making. (RTP/PIA-10)
