BACOLOD City – In a bid to enhance healthcare delivery for its residents, the city government here is ramping up the implementation of its Comprehensive Health Program (BacCHP), pledging faster funding, stronger coordination, and broader access to essential medical services.
Mayor Greg Gasataya convened hospital administrators and health officials on July 17 to reaffirm the city’s commitment to strengthening BacCHP — an initiative aimed at improving both preventive and curative health services, especially for indigent residents.
The BacCHP, implemented under City Ordinance No. 1014, supports annual health check-ups and the regular distribution of free maintenance medicines in partnership with the City Health Office (CHO) and through Philippine Health Insurance’s (PhilHealth) preventive care programs.
The program seeks to maximize the services of private healthcare institutions for the benefit of all registered members, particularly PhilHealth indigent members across all barangays.
Originally introduced by former mayor and now Cong. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, BacCHP has grown into a vital component of the city’s public health strategy.
During the meeting, Mayor Gasataya emphasized the importance of timely funding and operational efficiency. He assured stakeholders of expedited payments to partner hospitals and reaffirmed the city’s support in building a more responsive healthcare system.
Dr. John Alejano, medical director of Bacolod Queen of Mercy Hospital (BQMH), lauded the initiative and thanked Mayor Gasataya and Atty. Marty Go, BacCHP focal person and secretary-to-the-mayor, for their proactive leadership in strengthening healthcare services.
Go stressed the need for closer collaboration with private hospitals to address operational concerns and implement key policy improvements.
To date, Bacolod City has partnered with seven hospitals under the BacCHP to provide in-patient care, particularly for underprivileged patients.
These are Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, BQMH, South Bacolod General Hospital, Riverside Medical Center, Bacolod Adventist Medical Center, The Doctor’s Hospital, and Metro Bacolod Hospital.
Under the program, eligible beneficiaries are issued BacCHP cards, which they can present for consultations or hospital admissions. The card ensures that Bacolodnons can avail of critical health services without the burden of upfront payments, especially during emergencies or health crises.
Mayor Gasataya noted that the program is designed to relieve families from the fear of hospital rejection due to financial incapacity, ensuring that “no Bacolodnon is left behind when it comes to health care.”/PN
