Roque challenges cooperatives to go into health care business providers

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

Bohol Province – Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque challenged cooperatives in Bohol to go into the heath care business to fill the gap unserved by hospitals and medical institutions as the country starts to implement the Universal Health Care Law (UHCL).

In a Consultative Meeting with Cooperatives and Farmer Leaders in Bohol on July 10 with Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) Administrator and Chairman of the Board Benjie Oliva  Roque, in his keynote message told the audience that the UHCL provides for free three dialysis sessions a week and reality shows that there are not enough dialysis machines available in many parts of the country.

He said that the this is a golden opportunity for cooperatives as the government has assured a ready source of revenues as provided for under the UHCL.

“Three dialysis sessions per week for persons with renal failure is 12 dialysis sessions per month and by 12 months, this is an assured 144 sessions paid for by the government to Filipinos as provided by law,” Roque explained.

Roque dared the coop members and farmer leaders representing various people’s organizations present at the consultative meeting for cooperatives to unite not only to put up dialysis centers/facilities but to come up with cooperative hospitals.

“We can unite and put up hospitals with private paying wards, there is accredit facility that offers one percent interest,” Roque added.

According to Roque, the World Health Organization (WHO) which came up with a hospital bed to population ratio, showed that the Philippines is still in need of 52,000 beds.  

The implementation of the Mandanas Rule by next year, he said opens up more opportunities for cooperative groups to get a share of the 37percent more Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) for local government units. “Cooperatives need to benefit from this,” he added.

He also cited the possibility of coops venturing into ocean going fishing vessels and move away from the overfished marginal fishery areas to the rich fishing grounds in the pacific and the disputed islands.

“Now more than ever, we need to cooperate and use our savings as a capital for more investments,” Roque concluded. (Photos: PIA-Bohol)