BAGUIO CITY, July 29 – Three hospitals in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) have been recently approved by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to have an “At Source Ang Processing” (ASAP) desks available in their hospitals, and are just awaiting implementation, PCSO Benguet Branch Manager Ernieli P. Dancel said on Friday.
The three hospitals are the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) in Baguio; the Benguet General Hospital; and the Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital in Mountain Province.
In an interview Friday afternoon, Dancel said the availability of an ASAP desk in hospitals would eliminate bureaucracy and will make it a lot easier for patients to access PCSO’s Individual Medical Assistance Program (IMAP).
“Patients do not need to go to PCSO offices anymore to file requests for health or medical assistance as this can be conveniently done through the ASAP desk,” Dancel said.
The ASAP project was launched in 2015, aimed at easing the procedures for patients seeking to obtain medical assistance through IMAP in order for PCSO to efficiently deliver quality service to its clients.
“With the ASAP desk, patients need not go through long queues to seek assistance for treatment and medication that includes chemotherapy and dialysis,” Dancel said.
According to data provided by PCSO, as of June 30, 2017, there are 44 institutions with ASAP desks throughout the country. **Merriam S. del Rosario/PNA
