House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Facebook)

House Speaker Martin Romualdez announced on Wednesday afternoon Aug. 14 that, for the first time ever, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has agreed to shoulder the doctor's fee of hospitalized indigent patients.

This developed followong a meeting earlier that day between Romualdez, PSCO General Manager Melquiades Robles, and Philippine Medical Association (PMA) President Dr. Hector Santos Jr. at the House of Representatives.

Deputy Majority Leader for Communications and ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo facilitated the meeting, which he later described as a "breakthrough".

“Nagpapasalamat tayo dito sa ating GM ng PCSO at sinagot niya po ang hinaing ng ating health care professionals lalo na dito sa isyu ng professional fees,” said Romualdez, leader of the 300-plus strong House

(We thank our GM of PCSO for answering the call of our health professionals, especially on the issue of professional fees.)

Doctors' fees or professional fees often become the last to be settled by poor families that have a hospitalized loved one since there no State coverage for it. This payable can vary widely in terms of amount.

Robles told the Speaker that the PCSO can start covering professional fees by Oct. 30, or on the occasion of "Charity Day".

The benefit will cover indigent patients in both public and private hospitals.

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“All medical practitioners will (then) be covered by the government under the auspices of the charity agency under the auspices of the PCSO so that health care will be totally free,” Romualdez noted.

“Libre ang health care para sa lahat ng Pilipino, yun po ang ating nais, at yun po ang sinabi ng ating Presidente Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.,” added the House head honcho.

(Healthcare is free for all Filipinos, that's what we want, and that's what our Presidente Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said.)

In a subsequent press conference with Tulfo and Santos, Robles highlighted that jn the 90-year history of PCSO, this was the first time that agency would shoulder doctor's fees.

He said their current charity budget is P3.8 bullion. This money will be tapped for all of the PCSO's charity projects, not just the doctor's fees benefit.

Robles said that while PCSO won't be able to pay for the entire doctor's fees of all indigent patients, it would still help ease the plight of the beneficiaries.

Another congressman who was instrumental to PCSO's coverage of doctor's fees was Ako-Biicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.

"PCSO General Manager Mel Robles and PMAP Hector Santos positively responded to the request of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, following the directive of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr., to explore measures that will enhance healthcare delivery for Filipinos," said Co, chairman of the powerful House Committee on Appropriations.

"This cooperation shows that when the government and professionals work together, we can achieve solutions that truly benefit our people," he said as he welcomed the development.