Cabinet Secretary Moh’d Asnin Pendatun, program manager of Ayudang Medikal mula sa Bangsamoro Government (AMBaG), provides updates on the program’s accomplishments since it was launched in December 2019. (Photo by Faisal Camsa Jr./BIO)
COTABATO CITY— Office of the Chief Minister’s Ayudang Medikal mula sa Bangsamoro Government or AMBaG program has already served a total of 84,919 indigent patients from Bangsamoro communities within and outside the region from December 2019 to August 2023.
According to AMBag Program Manager Moh’d Asnin Pendatun, since the launching of the program, the regional government has already allotted over half a billion or P516,090,334.49 fund to assist underprivileged patients with their hospital bills.
Of the 84,919 patients, 37,395 were women, 18,648 were men, and 28,648 were children.
“For the past few months, we’ve been doing ‘yung replenishment ng mga AMBaG funds sa iba’t ibang (partner) hospitals natin […] and yung mga additional hospital natin for this year ay natanggap na rin nila yung kanilang mga pondo,” said Pendatun, who is also the Cabinet Secretary.
To date, AMBaG program has the following partners hospitals within and outside the Bangsamoro region:
- Aleosan District Hospital
- Amai PakPak Medical Center
- Balindong Municipal Hospital
- Basilan General Hospital
- Buluan District Hospital
- Cagayan De Tawi-Tawi District Hospital
- Cotabato Provincial Hospital
- Cotabato Regional and Medical Center
- Cotabato Sanitarium and General Hospital
- Datu Alawaddin T. Bandon Sr. Memorial Hospital
- Datu Blah T. Sinsuat District Hospital
- Datu Halun Sakilan Memorial Hospital
- Datu Odin Sinsuat District Hospital
- Davao Occidental General Hospital
- Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center
- Davao Regional Medical Center
- Dr. Jorge P. Royeca Hospital
- Dr. Serapio B. Montaner,Jr. Al Haj Memorial Hospital
- Iranun District Hospital
- Lamitan District Hospital
- Languyan Municipal Hospital
- Luuk District Hospital
- Maguindanao Provincial Hospital
- Maimbung District Hospital
- Panamao District Hospital
- Panguntaran District Hospital
- Parang District Hospital
- Siasi District Hospital
- Siocon District Hospital
- South Cotabato Provincial Hospital
- South Upi Municipal Hospital
- Southern Philippines Medical Center
- Sulu Provincial Hospital
- Sulu Sanitarium and General Hospital
- Sumisip District Hospital
- Tamparan District Hospital
- Tapul Municipal Hospital
- Tongkil Municipal Hospital
- Tuan Ligaddung Lipae Memorial Hospital
- Unayan District Hospital
- Wao District Hospital
- Zamboanga City Medical Center
- Zamboanga Del Sur Medical Center
- Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Hospital
On Sept. 18, Dr. Harris Macapeges, chief of Iranun District Hospital in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte, received a cheque worth P10-million as a replenishment fund from AMBaG. Meanwhile on Sept. 13, AMBaG also gave additional P15-million fund to Buluan District Hospital in Maguindanao del Sur, and P5-million to Unayan District Hospital and P10-million to Wao District Hospital both in Lanao del Sur.
“After this series of fund transfers, we can truthfully say that by the end of the year lahat na ng government hospitals dito sa BARMM, hindi lang partnered hospital, ay functioning na yung AMBAG sa kani-kanilang hospital,” Pendatun added.
Furthermore, AMBaG’s guidelines are now more expanded. It will automatically cater senior citizens, women, persons with disabilities (PWDs), violence against women and children (VAWC) victims, and calamities victims. Patients who undergo dialysis, chemotherapy, and other laboratory tests, will also be catered as outpatients.
“Ang AMBaG ay isa sa special program ni chief minister (Ahod Ebrahim) na ang layunin ay makatulong doon sa bayaring hospital ng ating mga kababayan, at kami ay nagagalak na ibahagi sa inyo na mas pinalakas, pinalawak at pinarami pa yung ating partner hospital,” Pendatun shared.
Improving the equitable access to quality and affordable health care services is one of the enhanced 12-point priority agenda of the Bangsamoro Government for 2023-2025. (Myrna Tepadan/BIO)
