MAIFIP eases hospital expenses for indigent patient in Tandag
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur (PIA) — For Hadji Mahinay, a resident of Barangay Maitom in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur, getting medical care no longer meant worrying about how to settle hospital expenses after he received assistance through the government’s Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) Program.
Mahinay, who was admitted for several days at the Adela Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center (ASTMMC), said the assistance provided much-needed relief during his hospitalization.
“An ako ikasulti isip usa sa nakabenepisyo sa maong programa na waray ako nabayadan, nagpasalamat ako sa nasyonal nga panggamhanan kay dako kadayaw ini na tabang sa amo na mga pobre.”
(What I can say as one of the beneficiaries of this program is that I did not have to pay anything. I am grateful to the national government because this is a great help to poor people like us.)
MAIFIP is a Department of Health (DOH) program that provides medical assistance to qualified indigent and financially incapacitated patients who cannot afford medical expenses. It supports patients seeking essential medical services, including those confined in government hospitals, subject to program eligibility and requirements.
The program is part of the government’s efforts to reduce the financial burden of healthcare on vulnerable Filipinos. DOH has also emphasized that MAIFIP supports access to essential health services for patients who may otherwise struggle to pay for medical care.
For patients like Mahinay, such assistance can mean one less burden to carry while recovering from illness.
His experience also highlights the importance of government health programs that bring financial assistance closer to those who need it most. Through the said program, qualified patients can seek assistance for medical expenses while government health institutions and social workers help assess their eligibility and process the necessary support.
For Mahinay and other financially challenged patients, the program provides more than financial assistance; it offers relief and reassurance at a time when their priority is to recover and regain their health.
The national government, as well, under the current administration of PBBM, continues to advance its commitment to making essential healthcare more accessible to indigent and financially incapacitated Filipinos. (NGPB, PIA Surigao del Sur)
