After 9 years in
Congress, Uy decided to get back into administration, recommencing his
3District Flagship Program which was interrupted when his mayoral term
ended in 2001. This program according to Uy will focus on health,
agriculture, livestock, education, environment, infrastructure,
eco-tourism, housing, peace and order, small and medium industries and
intangibles.
Been perceptive on
health issue, he revealed that he was confronted with resolving cases
of the “underprivileged” who were detained by OLPHI (Our Lady of
Porziuncola Hospital, Inc.) due to non-payment of hospital bills or
medical expenses.
“I am not hitting him
personally, but hitting on the policy,” Uy clarified and addressed his
statement to the management of said Catholic Franciscan Sanatorium.
“Karuyag ko igpasabot
san aton mga kasangkayan sa Our Lady of Porziuncola nga an pagdetene
san pasyente nga diri nakakabayad san ira obligasyon an pagtalapas san
Illegal Detention Law. Kadamudamo san pila nga an problema puro
kabaraydan sa OLPHI. An iba sini physically detained, diri pinapagawas,
diri na ginrarasyunan pagkaun. So gintirok ko sira. “(I would like to
inform our friends at Our Lady of Porziuncola that detaining patient/s
for non-payment of obligation/s (hospital bills and/ or medical
expenses) is a clear violation of Illegal Detention Law. Poor
constituents in queue at the City Mayor’s Office were mostly dealing
with non payments at OLPHI. Others were physically detained, were not
allowed to leave the premises, and food supplies were blocked. So, I
gathered them.)
He disclosed further
that 11 patients have already executed their respective affidavits
against OLPHI in violation of RA 9439 or An Act Prohibiting the
Detention of Patients in Hospitals and Medical Clinics on Grounds of
Nonpayment of Hospital Bills or Medical Expenses.
This Act which was
approved by former PGMA on April 27, 2007, Sections 1, 2 and 3 states
that, it shall be unlawful for any hospital or medical clinic in the
country to detain or to otherwise cause, directly or indirectly, the
detention of patients who have fully or partially recovered or have
been adequately attended to or who may have died, for reasons of
nonpayment in part or in full of hospital bills or medical expenses;
Patients who have fully or partially recovered and who already wish to
leave the hospital or medical clinic but are financially incapable to
settle, in part or in full, their hospitalization expenses, including
professional fees and medicines, shall be allowed to leave the
hospital or medical clinic, with a right to demand the issuance of the
corresponding medical certificate and other pertinent papers required
for the release of the patient from the hospital or medical clinic
upon the execution of a promissory note covering the unpaid
obligation. The promissory note shall be secured by either a mortgage
or by a guarantee of a co-maker, who will be jointly and severally
liable with the patient for the unpaid obligation. In the case of a
deceased patient, the corresponding death certificate and other
documents required for interment and other purposes shall be released
to any of his surviving relatives requesting for the same: Provided,
however, That patients who stayed in private rooms shall not be
covered by this Act.; and Any officer or employee of the hospital or
medical clinic responsible for releasing patients, who violates the
provisions of this Act shall be punished by a fine of not less than
Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,000.00), but not more than Fifty Thousand
Pesos (P50,000.00), or imprisonment of not less than one month, but
not more than six months, or both such fine and imprisonment, at the
discretion of the proper court.
It is note taking that
in previous interview former mayor now First District Representative
Mel Sarmiento explained the significance and the good concept of LGU
Calbayog-OLPHI partnership which was fully appreciated by the
Department of Health. He admitted that problems were encountered in
the implementation of the MOA.
Under Uy’s
administration, said issue had been thoroughly tackled causing for the
retrieval of some medical equipment in the blood bank, ambulance and
other facilities owned by the city provisionally utilized by OLPHI as
part of the agreement. City Councilor Rogelio Casurao was given the
instruction to execute a demand letter for the repossession of said
facilities, and called the attention of General Services Officer
Isagani Togonon for its immediate implementation.
While working on with
his directive, Uy has given two years for the realization of Calbayog
City Hospital at Sitio Talahib, Brgy. Trinidad with 25 bed capacity.
Equipment will depend on the local revenue of the city, and he assured
the public that he would provide complete facilities for this.
In another
development, Mayor Uy stressed that the city would not be accepting
new and additional scholars while facing an outstanding P2.5M
financial obligations to Northwest Samar State University (NwSSU)
incurred by the past administration. He said that he would ask Cong.
Mel to help him settle first said account before accepting another set
funded by the local government.
As a 3-termer
legislator he shared his experience by disclosing that during his time
he has allotted approximate funds intended for an equal number of
scholars.
An nakakalipay sini
kay an Congressman, pirmi may-ada pundo sa scholars. So, aruon ko kan
Cong. Mel Sarmiento nga antes ako mangarawat scholars dinhe sa ciudad,
kon mahimo mabuligan ak anay niya nga mabaydan ini nga obligasyon san
NwSSU base makapasulod naman ak. Kay sapagkayana, di man pwede
kumarawat an NwSSU san new and additional scholars nga mayda pa kit
utang nga P2.5 milyones. Ngani kadam-an sini sa ira waray magpakatake
san final exams. Pero kay ginhimuan pamaagi san aton City Treasurer
and City Administrator Arnol Trani nga makatake san final exams. So,
ngatanan happy ending. Ugaring la kay nalugi an NwSSu. I’ll see to it
nga mabuligan kit ni Cong. Mel Sarmiento, Uy added.
At one point Uy
clarified that before Cong. Sarmiento left for Congress a transition
report was properly turned-over leaving no grave financial crisis.
