THE CITY government allocated another P200 million for the Lingap para sa Mahirap program to meet the growing demand.
From the previous funding of P402 million, the program now has P600 million for the whole year.
During the I-Speak Media forum on Thursday, Feb. 13, Lingap Program officer-in-charge Ytalia Bohol said the main office serviced a total of 188,472 clients in 2024.
“This is the city’s response to the increasing number of clients as the office recorded an average of 700- 800 client visits daily,” Bohol said.
For 2024, medication assistance topped the most number of clients with 113,194, followed by hospitalization with almost 40,000 and funeral costs with 5,946.
Bohol added they still have fast or a special lane where cancer patients may access monthly chemotherapy session fees and medicines.
For medical bills assistance, clients need to bring the original final bill, medical certificate, and barangay certification. For patients at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), Lingap only requires a medical bill and valid ID.
For funeral aid, clients must present the original funeral bill, a certified copy of the death certificate, and a barangay certificate.
Bohol explained that burial is not included in funeral assistance; it only covers assistance for caskets, the venue for the wake, and embalming.
A valid ID and a prescription from the SPMC or City Health Office are required for medications, however, it would depend upon the availability in accredited pharmacies.
The program granted accreditation to three pharmacies including New Botica; Murang Gamot; and Kalingap Pharmacy in the Southern Philippines Medical Center compound.
For dialysis and laboratory procedures, original copies of the price quotation from the hospital where the treatment or dialysis will be performed, a medical certificate, and a barangay certificate are required.
The Lingap para sa Mahirap Program is one of the flagship programs of the City Mayor’s Office (CMO) assisting with funeral costs, medical bills, medications, laboratory procedures, and dialysis.
To note, the CMO has the highest funding with P5,147,300,595 billion in the General Fund Annual Budget for 2025. Presently, Lingap has satellite offices in Calinan, Marilog, Toril, Bunawan, Paquibato, and Davao City Recreation Center (Almendras Gym).
