Akbayan, VSMMC sign accord on hospitalization

CEBU, Philippines - The national spokeswoman of the Akbayan Party, Risa Hontiveros, signed a memorandum of agreement with Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center hospital chief Dr. Edgardo Aquino Jr. outlining the agreement between the two parties primarily for Akbayan members and Cebu City indigents who will be referred by Akbayan Cebu to the VSMMC.

The MOA was signed at the Legislative Building of the Cebu City Hall yesterday. Also in attendance was Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon.

The Akbayan party deposited a total of P500,000 this year to the VSMMC as a support for the hospitalization of the Akbayan members and indigent families in Cebu City.

According to Mikay Dumambok of Akbayan Cebu, in 2009, they deposited P200,000 to the VSMMC and this year they deposited another P 300,000 bringing their total deposit to P500,000.

He said each patient will receive P5,000 cash and lab tests will also be free of charge. 

He added that anyone can avail of the free hospitalization as long as he or she has an endorsement letter from any Akbayan member.

Hontiveros said that the program started at the House of the Representatives in 1998.

When sought for comments on the Reproductive Health Bill, Hontiveros said that she and Akbayan party are proud supporters of the RHB.

She said that, in fact, on Monday she is expecting the House committee on health to release its immediate report on the RHB.

She told Cebuanos that hopefully they will support the RHB so that everyone could find a better way of living. (FREEMAN)