Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the LGU distributed Member Data Records (MDRs) to 990 beneficiaries from 13 barangays during the ceremony held October 14 at the Balon Bayambang Events Center.

The recipients are members of 4Ps or Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and non-4Ps members selected from the data of the National Housing Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The turnover of MDRs entitles them to PhilHealth benefits including “no-balance billing” and free consultations in a government hospital anywhere in the country.

Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao personally handed the MDRs together with PhilHealth’s Chief Social Insurance Officer Madonna P. Valdez. They were assisted by Councilor Martin Terrado and Municipal Health Officer Dr. Paz F. Vallo and RHU II head Dr. Adrienne Estrada and other PhilHealth Officers.

In his inspirational message, Mayor Quiambao said, “Kamakailan ay naglunsad tayo sa Bayambang ng rebolusyon laban sa kahirapan, at ang pagiging malusog ang isa sa mga paraan ng paglaban sa kahirapan, dahil ang kalusugan ay kayamanan.”

Quiambao used two viral Steve Jobs quotes to illustrate his point: “Ang pinakamayamang tao sa mundo maaaring mag-hire ng tao upang magtrabaho sa kanya, ngunit hindi-hindi maaaring mag-hire ng tao upang dumanas ng sakit niya para sa kanya. At ano raw ang pinakamahal na kama sa buong mundo? Ito ay ang kama sa ospital.”

“Sana alagaan ninyo ang kalusugan ninyo,” he said by way of closing.

The Mayor also took the opportunity to inform the audience that the LGU is making its own efforts to help them with their health needs. “Dati, iisa ang ating ambulansya, at kakarag-karag pa. Ngayon, mayroon na tayong limang ambulansya – libre po iyan. Magkakaroon na rin tayo ng dalawa pang adisyunal na Rural Health Units, at ito ay sa Carungay at Macayocayo. Sabi nila, there should be one doctor for every 20,000 population, so Bayambang should have 6 doctors for its current population — so at least madaragdagan ng dalawa pa. Dati 18M lang ang budget ng ating RHU, ngunit ngayon ay almost P35M.”

Seventeen PhilHealth officers and staff from Dagupan City and San Carlos City came over for the event. They were assisted by the nurses and midwives of RHU I and II.

All in all, Bayambang has 12,619 such beneficiaries, according to Dr. Vallo. For those who have no updated MDRs yet, their MDRs will be distributed during the upcoming Komprehensibong Serbisyo sa Bayan or Buntis Congress/Buntis Parties in the barangays, she said