ANTIQUE — A total of 53,254 registered coconut farmers in Antique are now entitled to up to P40,000 in medical and hospitalization assistance in public hospitals following the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Provincial Government of Antique and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).
The agreement implements the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) Health and Medical Care Program, which covers hospitalization, medicines, laboratory tests, and other medical expenses at the Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital and all seven district hospitals in the province.
The MOA was signed on Thursday by Gov. Paolo Javier, Congressman AA Legarda, PCA Regional Office 6 Acting Project Development Officer IV Engr. Dioneto Ongga, Sangguniang Panlalawigan members Fernando Corvera Sr. and Karmila Rose Dimamay, and Dr. Melendie Fabila-Sanchez, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Provincial Health Officer.
Under the program, each registered coconut farmer and their dependents are entitled to P40,000 hospitalization coverage, P5,000 outpatient assistance for medicines and diagnostic services, and another P5,000 for post-hospitalization needs. Coverage is provided per individual and is renewable every three months.
Gov. Javier said the provincial government is also procuring additional medical supplies and medicines as its counterpart support to ensure the effective implementation of the program.
“The medicines needed by our farmers, we will try to provide within the year,” Javier said in Filipino. “So that patients will no longer need to buy medicines outside the hospital.”
Meanwhile, Gregory Teñoso III, PCA Division Chief I for Aklan and Antique, said the agency is coordinating with the Antique Medical Center and retail pharmacies to further expand the program’s coverage.
Teñoso also encouraged coconut farmers with less than five hectares of land who are not yet registered to enroll at the PCA office in San Jose de Buenavista or through their municipal agriculture offices, noting that coverage takes effect immediately upon registration./PN
