SEAG athletes and officials now covered by insurance

SEAG athletes and officials now covered by insurance
INSURED. Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman and Team Philippines Chef de Mission William Ramirez and Standard Insurance Group chairman Ernesto Echauz shake hands after signing a memorandum of agreement at the PSC administrative building in Manila on Nov. 5. Over 25,000 athletes, team officials, games workforce and volunteers of the 30th Southeast Asian Games will be covered by the insurance deal. (Photo courtesy of PSC)

MANILA (Philippines News Agency) — Over 25,000 athletes, team officials, games workforce and volunteers of the 30th Southeast Asian Games will now be covered by insurance following the partnership inked between the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and Standard Insurance Company Inc. on Nov.5.

PSC Chairman and Team Philippines Chef de Mission William Ramirez signed the memorandum of agreement with Standard Insurance Group Chairman Ernesto Echauz, in coordination with the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc).

“The successful hosting of the SEA Games also involves the security of our athletes and officials, in and out of the games. We thank Standard Insurance for offering their service not only to Team Philippines, but also to all the other delegates in this SEAG,” Ramirez said during the signing rites.

According to the agreement, coverage is from October 13 until December 15, 2019 to include players of the football and water polo events scheduled ahead of the official opening ceremonies on Nov. 30.

“Each covered person will have PHP300,000 insurance coverage. The declaration of covered persons shall come from Phisgoc,” said Echauz, who is also the president of the Philippine Sailing Association.

Standard Insurance will cover death or any accident related injuries, which is also extended to any sport related injuries such as training or in-game injuries. Sports injuries coming from sabotage and acts of terrorism is included in the policy coverage.

“This is one benefit we wish no one needs to claim,” Ramirez said.

The insurance firm tied-up with EMA-Global as its medical service provider.

The Philippines will host the SEA Games for the fourth time from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11 this year. The country hosted the regional sports meet in 1981, 1991 and 2005. (PR)
Go said the Senate bill institutionalizing the Malasakit center has been approved on second reading on Tuesday.

He hopes that it will be approved for the third and final reading next week, noting that a counterpart bill at the House of Representatives is on the second reading.

“Hopefully, this will be passed before the end of the year so that the center will be fully operationalized with continuity. The bill will provide for the criteria that need to be established before it will be opened in a local government unit-run hospital. For DOH-run, it will be automatic,” Go said.

The bill, when made into law, will practically protect the operation of the 50 Malasakit centers in the country.

He said he discussed with Benguet governor Melchor Diclas, a surgeon, the process of setting up a facility for the Malasakit center at Benguet General Hospital.

“Sa Benguet malapit na rin matapos, siguro nakita nila governor na nakakatulong sa Pilipino. Isa lang aming layunin- mapabilis ang serbisyo medikal sa pasyente (The Benguet center is almost complete which they probably saw helps the Filipinos. This center has only one goal and that is to fast-track medical services for the patients),” Go said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ricardo Runez, medical center chief of BGHMC, said the hospital receives about 1,500 outpatients daily and an average of 40,000 in-patients annually.

The BGHMC is an 800-bed capacity tertiary hospital that caters to patients from the Cordillera Administrative Region and Regions 1 (Ilocos), 2 (Cagayan Valley) and 3 (Central Luzon). The services of the Malasakit center will be received by any indigent patient regardless of whether they are from Baguio or any region in the country.

Runez said around 90 percent of BGHMC patients are indigents, who will benefit from the services of the Malasakit center.

“Di na sila mag-iisp ng panggastos sa hospital, di na nila problema (They will no longer be concerned with the cost of hospitalization. It would no longer be their problem),” he said.

He, however, said the patient will be evaluated by a social worker to ensure that indigent patients are the ones who will benefit.

Runez said before, patients lose hope due to lack of money to cash-out for hospital bills, which will be addressed by the Malasakit center.

“Basta indigent, kung ano ang hospital bill binabayaran ng Malasakit center (As long as they are indigents, their hospital bills will be settled by the Malasakit center),” Runez said. (PNA)

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