Probe on for city's medical program

CEBU, Philippines - Because of allegations that some Cebu City officials enjoyed huge amount of benefits from the City Hospitalization Assistance and Medicines Program (CHAMP), the Cebu City Council yesterday decided to ask for a list of beneficiaries.

Aside from the names of beneficiaries, Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña also wants to know the amount that each beneficiary got from CHAMP.

Osmeña said the document that she obtained showed that Belinda Navascues, the secretary to Mayor Michael Rama, availed of P145,000 when the hospital bill of her son, Joel Noel Navascues, was charged to CHAMP when the latter was confined at the Chong Hua Hospital sometime last April.

It was Belinda who personally signed the Letter of Authority (LOA) that assured the hospital that the city will shoulder the expenses of her son’s hospital bills.

Rama, interviewed by The FREEMAN, said he was out of the country when the LOA was issued but said her secretary is allowed to evaluate and sign such document.

Aside from the mayor and his secretary, City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete, is also allowed to sign the Letter of Authority.

Osmeña said she also received reports that Philipp Zafra, the chief of staff of the Office of the Mayor, also enjoyed huge amount of CHAMP funds when his child was confined at Chong Hua Hospital a few months ago, although she has yet to know how much.

Zafra’s child, who is still less than one year old, fell on the floor from his bed that is why the child was confined at the hospital for few weeks.

“Nag-involve man gud ni og bata, motabang man gani ta sa uban sa ato pa kaha nga empleyado? Case to case basis man na,” Rama said. (If we help others, how much more our own workers?)

Osmeña said the City Council’s committee on health, and the budget and finance, would like to be updated of the lists of the CHAMP beneficiaries. The City Council had allocated P100 million for CHAMP this year. — (FREEMAN)