Bacolod City’s flagship health initiative, the Bacolod City Comprehensive Health Program (BacCHP), was celebrated at the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) 6’s Excellence in Local Governance (EXCELL) Awards 2024 in Iloilo City. The program, which has touched the lives of thousands, was awarded for its excellence in health compliance and responsiveness. The award was accepted by BacCHP’s focal person Mae Cuaycong, special health consultant Dr. Eric Saratan, and medical director Dr. Edwin Miraflor Jr. from DILG-6 Director Juan Jovian Ingeniero.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez’s administration has been instrumental in the development of BacCHP, which was launched in 2022 and has since registered over 259,000 beneficiaries. The program, which was institutionalized through an ordinance by Councilor Claudio Jesus Puentevella, offers family health cards that cover emergency medical expenses and collaborates with seven local hospitals to ensure that no resident is turned away due to financial constraints.
Since the start of its curative phase on May 1, 2023, the city government has disbursed PHP100.46 million to support the program’s beneficiaries. Each health card holder is entitled to PHP15,000, with additional coverage for dependents’ hospital bills. The program’s partner facilities include the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital and several private institutions.
In November, the Department of Health provided PHP50 million to help manage increasing healthcare costs, following a request from Mayor Benitez. BacCHP also extends its services through mobile blood donation campaigns and medical missions, further enhancing its comprehensive approach to public health.