Aklan aims for 100% Philhealth coverage of indigents
BY VENUS G. VILLANUEVA

KALIBO, Aklan - Some 30,000 Aklanon families are seen to add to the number of Philhealth – covered Aklanons this year.
Aklan Gov. Carlito S. Marquez announced that these 30,000 families should be identified before Feb 15,2007 so they could be issued Philhealth cards. Their inclusion to the Philhealth program of the province will enable Aklan to fully give the indigents here 100% coverage. Gov. Marquez said cards will no longer be issued beyond March 15, 2007.
Qualified to avail of the Philhealth Indigent Program are families with an income lower than P12,000 a month.

Marquez said the Philhealth program is a big help to poor people who cannot go to the hospital when sick.
“If people are also poor, incidence of Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) also increases. If minors go hungry, they resort to drugs to forget hunger”, Gov. Marquez said, who made the announcement on Philhealth at the orientation on Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of R.A.9344 (Juvenile Justice Welfare Act) and Review of RA 7192 and RA 9262.

It was attended by Aklan PNP Women’s and Children Concerns Desk (WCCD) officers of the 17 municipalities of Aklan, Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officers (MSWDOs) of Aklan, Social Workers of RTC family court, members of Aklan Gender and Development Commission (AGADC), PSWDO staff and some heads and representatives of concerned government agencies.
The orientation on RA 9344 was given by Judge Nimfa Vilches, Assistant Court Administrator of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
According to Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Elma Malbas, the Philhealth application forms will be distributed through the MSWDOs of the province.