BONTOC, Mountain Province — PhilHealth – Cordillera Administrative Region through Regional Vice President Jerry F. Ibay recently launched the Alkansya ng Bayan for Bontoc Market Vendors Association (BoMarVa).
Noland Sabling, Project Head of Alkansya ng Bayan, said his project which is piloted in this municipality aims to enrol the remaining uncovered individuals from the organized groups and associations starting with the public market vendors with the assurance that premium contributions are paid at all times.
This project intends to institutionalize a premium collection scheme that will make the public market vendors sustain their membership by regularly paying their daily share of contribution of P7.00 or more which they drop in their individual compartment in the Alkansya ng Bayan.
The PhilHealth through the Local Health Insurance Office of Mountain Province will count in the presence of BoMarVa officers the quarterly collection of each member on or before the 10th day of the month following the quarter and issue the corresponding receipt.
Through the continuous efforts of the Local Health Insurance Office here to remind the members, the advice and guidance of the local government unit of this municipality to uphold the participation of the public market vendors, the scheme will ensure them access to PhilHealth benefit availment when needed.
To ensure the sustainability of the Alkansya ng Bayan project, a tripartite memorandum of agreement was entered into among and between the BoMarVa represented by its president, Paula F. Acofo; the Municipal Government of Bontoc represented by Municipal Mayor Franklin C. Odsey; and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation represented by Ibay.
The tripartite MOA defines the roles and responsibilities of each party in ensuring the sustainability of the Alkansya ng Bayan with the continual intent of saturating the whole public market for PhilHealth coverage.
Success stories and lesson learned from this project shall form the groundworks when replicating the project with subsequent organized groups not only in the province but in the whole of the Cordillera Region.
In his message, Odsey encouraged the BoMarVa members to take advantage of the program of PhilHealth, to give preference to the Alkansya ng Bayan so that if they will get sick, they can avail of the PhilHealth benefits.** PIA Mtn. Province
