DBP bankrolls hospital projects in Camarines Norte
State-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has granted a P450-million term loan to the provincial government of Camarines Norte for the expansion of medical facilities in the province to enhance its capacity to provide basic medical care to its constituents, a top official said.
DBP President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel G. Herbosa said part of the loan would be used to establish the new Sta. Elena District Hospital (SEDH) with the construction of a two-storey building with an initial bed capacity of 25 beds.
“DBP is honored to be a part of these initiatives of the Provincial Government which were pursued under the Bank’s Strategic Healthcare Investments for Enhanced Lending & Development (SHIELD) program,” Herbosa said.
DBP SHIELD is a specially designed program that provides funding support to hospitals, laboratories, diagnostic centers, clinics, and primary care providers including pharmacies, family physician clinics, and the like that need to develop or construct and acquire health care facilities and equipment. As of end-April, DBP has approved P18.2-billion in loans under the program.
Herbosa said apart from the new SEDH, the loan proceeds would also be utilized for the construction of a new three-storey building for the Camarines Norte Provincial Hospital with an additional 50-bed capacity and a two-storey, 25-bed structure for Labo District Hospital as well as the purchase of various hospital equipment and machinery.
“These new projects would be a boon to the province’s efforts to bolster its capability to address the healthcare concerns of its constituents including the prevailing national public health emergency,” Herbosa said.
SM Foundation donates more ventilators to hospitals nationwide
SM Foundation (SMFI) has donated 25 ICU-grade ventilators to hospitals with high COVID-19 cases across the country, as part of its continuing COVID-19 response.
This additional donation of ventilators will help augment each hospital’s capacity to manage severe COVID-19 cases, particularly with patients who require intubation.
The hospital recipients include Tarlac Provincial Hospital, Calamba Doctors Hospital, General Emilio Aguinaldo Hospital, Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital, West Visayas Medical Center, Cebu South Medical Center, Zamboanga City Medical Center, Northern Mindanao Medical Center, and other government hospitals.
To date, SM has donated almost Php 400 million in essential medical supplies, equipment, rt-PCR testing, and assistance to help national efforts in the fight against COVID-19.
Ayala group supports medical frontliners with new innovations
The Ayala group’s healthcare and telecom arms have come up with new innovations to bolster the country’s health system as it combats the pandemic.
The Ayala Group has released HealthNow, an all-in-one health app from Globe Telecom’s corporate incubator, 917 Ventures, and AC Health’s health tech arm, Vigos Health, to help address the pain points that have long discouraged Filipinos from seeking proper medical care.
The HealthNow app offers users convenient access to primary healthcare services from the safety of their homes, and provides a safe channel for doctors to extend their patient care online. HealthNow currently allows patients to consult licensed physicians through video calls, and by September and October 2020 respectively, users will be able to have medicines delivered, and book clinic and lab appointments through the app.
The app’s video consultations, for example, are supported by a growing pool of doctors from KonsultaMD, FamilyDOC, and Healthway, as well as other third-party licensed physicians. Medicine delivery will be handled by Generika Drugstore, and payments can be made through GCash.
Oxfam, Microsoft to provide cash aid to COVID-19 patients
Oxfam and Microsoft partnered to provide cash assistance to low-income families of confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients in Quezon City.
The cash assistance would be initially provided to 90 families in areas identified to have high cases of COVID-19, such as in barangays Batasan Hills and Culiat in Quezon City, which are under strict community quarantine.
The program will use digital cash transfer through an electronic prepaid card.
The cash assistance amounting to Ph5,000, which is based on the government’s Social Amelioration Program, will support families to buy food and medicines, as well as pay for their utilities and other essential needs.Aside from cash assistance, Oxfam and Microsoft will also provide hygiene kits, face masks, vitamins and health supplements to the families of COVID-19 patients to mitigate the risks of virus transmission in their families and communities.
STI launches student loan program with Landbank
For this school year, incoming college students and transferees at any STI campus nationwide can avail of loans through its student loan program in partnership with the Land Bank of the Philippines to help students and their families continue their education amid financial difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
STI Education Services Group, Inc. (STI ESG) has tapped into Landbank’s Access to Academic Development to Empower the Masses towards Endless Opportunities (ACADEME) lending program that aims to loan money to educational institutions, which schools can in turn re-lend to the students.
The partnership allows the academic institution to extend its assistance to their students and their families who are currently dealing with financial difficulties by providing them loans for their education needs.
The Landbank-STI Student Loan Program is payable based on the maturity of the sub-promissory notes, but not to exceed three years at no interest and with easy application process for the undergraduate students who are enrolled at any STI campus nationwide.
Under the program, incoming college students and transferees this school year 2020-2021 can borrow up to P15,000 per term which will be credited directly to their STI campus. The loan amount is intended solely for defraying the cost of tuition and other school fees for a given term.
