DSWD: Guarantee letters still allowed for medical, funeral expense

By Connie Calipay

LEGAZPI CITY --- The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol (DSWD-5) assured Bicolanos that guarantee letters (GL) may still be used as payment to pay for medicines, laboratories fees, hospital bills, and funeral services in the region.

In an interview on Monday, DSWD-5 Regional Director Norman Laurio said the maximum amount of a GL is PHP150,000, depending on the service patients are availing.

He said that for medicines and laboratory fees, there should be a maximum of PHP10,000, though other establishments allow more than the maximum amount.

“GL can also be used for laboratories and assistive devices such as prostheses. Like our partner Simon of Cyrene, they allow more than PHP10,000 depending on the price of the prosthesis. Through GL’s partnerships with various medical, laboratory, and healthcare providers, it will be easier to assist Bicolanos in need,” he added.

Laurio said partner pharmacies in the region and their branches and franchises will help broaden the scope of services to be provided under the program.

“The GL partnership, Simon of Cyrene Rehabilitation and Development Foundation, Inc., will start tomorrow. Beneficiaries who need assistive devices such as prostheses will be referred to them by the DSWD. This will add to the support provided to PWDs,” he said.

Laurio said the partnership with Mercury Drug will be implemented within this month.

He added that at least 12 branches of Mercury Drug will accommodate GL as payment: four in Albay; two in Sorsogon; four in Camarines Sur; one in Catanduanes and one in Masbate.

Other partner pharmacies with an existing memorandum of agreement with the government are the Generic Pharmacy, Daet Pharmacy, Nituda Pharmacy, Saints Cosmas and Damian Pharmacy, Mary Rich Pharmacy, and Med to Go Drugstore.

Laboratories in Bicol that accept GLs are Daraga Diagnostics Laboratory and Animal Bite Center Inc., Masbate Medical Mission Group, Balmadrid Medical and Surgical and Diagnostic Services, and Unihealth Diagnostic Center, among others.

In a separate interview, Danny Alano, a resident of Legazpi City, said the use of GL would be a big helpful to his family.

“Thank you for the different kind of assistance the government is providing to ease the burden, especially in the health aspect,” he said.

Sharahden Asuncion said the DSWD’s letter helped relieve her worries over how to pay for her operation. (PNA)