Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) chairperson Junie E. Cua vowed the agency will continue working hard to be a reliable partner in President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s health agenda.
“We believe we are well placed in doing so (become a reliable partner), and the President and our fellow Filipinos can rest assured that we will do our part in contributing to the goal of having better public health services,” Cua said in a statement.
During his second State of the Nation Address, Marcos laid out his administration’s new health priorities including addressing hunger and nutrition-related issues such as stunting and wasting, catching up on routine vaccinations for children, suppressing the rise of tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS by ensuring early diagnosis and treatment and ample testing sites and medications, increasing the number and capability of public health facilities, and integrating primary care providers and networks for more direct and efficient delivery of services.
Cua said various PCSO programs could supplement these concerns.
He said the Medical Access Program, Institutional Partnership Program, Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program, Out-patient Services, Medicine Donation Program and Medical and Dental Mission Program, which are all funded by the agency’s charity fund could provide additional resources for the country’s health agenda.
In 2022, the PCSO remitted P2.7 billion to PhilHealth for the Universal Health Care (UHC) fund pool, in compliance with the mandate set by Republic Act 11223 or the UHC Act, for the agency to allocate 40 percent of the Charity Fund to subsidize the program.
The amount represents the PCSO’s UHC contributions from 2019 to the third quarter of 2022. – PNA
