The year 2023 brought an unexpected turn in our family's journey, a harrowing experience that quickly spiraled into a daunting financial crisis.
My wife was in her seventh month of pregnancy with our second child when complications arose, leading to a premature birth. It was a terrifying moment, made even more stressful by the immediate need for specialized medical care for our newborn.
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At Philippine Children's Medical Center
Our baby, born much too early, urgently needed to be admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
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| Inside Philippine Children's Medical Center |
After frantically searching for available facilities, a doctor from Rizal Medical Center referred us to the Philippine Children's Medical Center (PCMC) in Quezon City, which fortunately had an open slot in its NICU.
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| Our little angel at NICU |
This began what would be a one-month ordeal, with our fragile infant spending one crucial week in the NICU, battling for life, while my wife also remained confined for her recovery.
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As days turned into weeks, the hospital bills steadily accumulated. The stress of seeing our baby hooked to machines, coupled with the rising costs, was almost unbearable.
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| The day after the delivery |
By the time my wife and our baby were ready for discharge, our total hospital bill had ballooned to an staggering nearly P300,000. The thought of how we would manage such an enormous sum weighed heavily on us.
The Help of Malasakit Center
Just when financial despair began to set in, we were directed to the Malasakit Center located within PCMC. It was a lifeline we desperately needed, a government initiative that promised to consolidate medical and financial assistance for indigent Filipinos. And it delivered beyond our expectations.
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| Malasakit Center in PCMC |
After navigating the application process and submitting all the necessary documents, the immense P300,000 bill was drastically reduced.
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| This bill is amounting over P136,000 |
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| This bill is amounting over P120,000 |
Thanks to the comprehensive aid facilitated by the Malasakit Center, we ended up paying a mere P2,000 out of our own pockets. It was an incredible relief, a testament to the program's vital role in supporting families like ours during their most vulnerable moments.
Our Journey Through the Process
While the Malasakit Center serves as a "one-stop shop," certain documents require careful preparation and coordination with various local government offices. As residents of Taguig City, I had to secure several certifications from our local LGU. This is how I processed the requirements:
- Medical Certificate/Clinical Abstract: These crucial documents were obtained directly from our baby's attending physicians and my wife's doctors at PCMC. They detailed our baby's premature condition, the necessary NICU care, my wife's post-delivery recovery, and the medical expenses incurred.
- Hospital Bill/Statement of Account: I regularly coordinated with PCMC's billing section to get updated statements. It was important to ensure that all applicable PhilHealth benefits and other mandatory discounts (like for senior citizens, though not applicable to us at the time) were already deducted from the total.
- Prescription/Request Forms: For all the specific medicines, laboratory tests, and diagnostic procedures undergone by our baby in the NICU, I made sure to secure signed prescription and request forms from the PCMC doctors and nurses.
- Certificate of Indigency: This was a primary requirement to prove our family's financial incapacitation. I first applied for this at our barangay hall in Taguig. Once approved at the barangay level, I then submitted it to the Taguig City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) for their validation and approval.
- Certificate of No Real Property: To further support our claim of indigence, I also had to secure a "Certificate of No Real Property." This document, which confirms that our family does not own any significant land or real estate property, was obtained from the City Assessor's Office in Taguig. It typically requires a barangay certification first.
- Certification of No Business: Similarly, I needed a "Certification of No Business" to affirm that we were not operating any registered businesses. This was also secured from our barangay in Taguig. These two certificates (no real property and no business) were essential in painting a complete picture of our financial situation for the Malasakit Center's assessment.
- Valid IDs: Of course, valid identification cards for both myself and my wife, as the baby's parents and representatives, were also required for verification purposes.
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| Requirements needed for Malasakit Center |
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| Requirements needed for Taguig CSWDO |
The process involved multiple trips between PCMC, our barangay hall, and the Taguig City Hall offices, but every step was worth it. The Malasakit Center staff, particularly the medical social workers, were instrumental in guiding me through the requirements and coordinating with the various government agencies (DOH, DSWD, PCSO, PhilHealth) situated within the center.
Here's a complete Guide on How to Avail Malasakit Center Medical and Financial Assistance
Our experience with the Malasakit Center at PCMC in 2023 was nothing short of miraculous. It transformed a potentially life-altering debt into a manageable amount, allowing us to focus on our baby's recovery rather than crippling financial anxiety.
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| Me waiting for my turn at Malasakit Center in PCMC |
It stands as a powerful testament to the government's commitment to ensuring that no Filipino is left behind when facing the daunting challenges of critical illness and escalating healthcare costs. For families in similar predicaments, the Malasakit Center truly is a vital safety net.
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