P2.2M bills of CCMC patients Council raises issue of frugality

CEBU, Philippines - The members of the Cebu City Council want the accounting office to advise them on whether or not it would be prudent for the city government to pay the P2.2 million hospital bills of the 38 patients of Cebu City Medical Center who were transferred to private hospitals after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake damaged the city-run health facility.

Councilor Dave Tumulak, chairman of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, earlier recommended that the P2,205,607.75 hospital bills of the CCMC patients will be charged against the city's share from PAGCOR funds.

The city government was billed P54,081.35 by Cebu Velez General Hospital for seven patients; Chong Hua Hospital (P1,152,079.18) for 13 patients; Adventist Hospital-Cebu (P142,843.69) for 10 patients; Cebu Doctor's University Hospital (P436,617.11); and Perpetual Succour Hospital (P419,986.19)  for four patients each. 

"Give us (accounting department) advice if it is right and prudent that the expenses incurred during the confinement of the patients can be charged to PAGCOR funds," said Councilor Sisinio Andales, chairman of the committee on laws.

The council has given the accounting office 10 days to give its opinion on the issue.

Councilor Margarita Osmeña, chairperson of the committee on budget and finance, pointed out during yesterday's regular session that some of the patients' hospital bills exceed the required amount provided under the City Hospitalization Assistance Medicine Program (CHAMP) funds.

She said that the CHAMP guidelines only allow the city government to shoulder a maximum of P25,000. The city has appropriated P100 million for CHAMP.

For instance, she said one patient confined at Cebu Doctors' University Hospital has a total bill of  P296, 113.10, which was the biggest amount among the 38 hospital bills.

"Let's be prudent and careful on how we use the fund. We should treat this since two years CCMC will not fully operate," Osmeña said.

Andales said it is not appropriate to immediately release the PAGCOR funds which might be abused by others.

It is provided under the guidelines of  PAGCOR funds that "projects which involve the extension of emergency assistance to these in-patients whose confinement at the CCMC were disrupted by the natural disaster."

"They (accounting office) could prevent that (possible abuse) by source person charging the same to the PAGCOR funds," said Andales, adding that the approval of the amount should be properly done considering that the city is in dire need of money.

Moreover, Councilor Noel Wenceslao stressed that the city accounting office will conduct a pre-audit.

Osmeña said the P2.2 million, if ever be approved, will be charge in this year's PAGCOR fund.

The committees on budget and finance and health, however, didn't oppose to charge the said amount against the PAGCOR funds.

"There is no conflicting report and we didn't interpose opposition," the chairpersons said. — (FREEMAN)