CAGAYAN de Oro City — Nearly ₱35 million in government medical assistance has been made available to patients in Mambajao, with 980 residents receiving help for medicines, hospitalization, laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures as of June 2026.
About 80% of the fund has already been used since the program started in 2025, according to Mambajao Municipal Health Officer Dr. Boel Espinas.
The assistance is provided through the Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program of the Department of Health (DOH).
Mambajao is currently the only local government unit in Camiguin with a DOH-accredited primary care facility, allowing the municipality to access MAIFIP funds through the Mambajao Primary Care Facility, Espinas said.
The municipality began accessing the fund in the first or second quarter of 2025 after completing the requirements set by the DOH Center for Health Development-Northern Mindanao.
“Sa P35 million [MAIFIP budget] so far, naka-utilize na ta og about 80% na ang atong utilization since sa pag-start nato last year,” Espinas said.
Of the 980 beneficiaries, 923 received assistance for drugs and medicines, while 57 received help for hospitalization, diagnostic procedures and laboratory tests.
For residents seeking medicine assistance, the process starts with a medical consultation and a prescription.
Patients then go to the People's Assistance Office at the Mambajao municipal hall to fill out the required forms and submit their prescription and valid identification.
The LGU has also signed an agreement with a pharmacy in Mambajao to provide medicines while the licensing process for the municipal pharmacy is being completed.
For services not available on the island, the municipality works with partner hospitals and laboratories.
These include Camiguin General Hospital for local referrals and Capitol University Medical Center and Cagayan de Oro Medical Center for patients who need tertiary care in Cagayan de Oro City.
Espinas said the People's Assistance Office coordinates with partner hospitals on referrals and billing.
He said beneficiaries may receive assistance for hospital bills as long as the amount falls within the allowable MAIFIP assistance.
The program is especially important for residents from far-flung barangays who need medical services that are not available in Camiguin.
Because Camiguin is an island, patients sometimes have to travel outside the province for laboratory tests, diagnostic procedures or hospital care, Espinas said.
“...kung wala diri, kinahanglan gyud mutabok ang pasyente,” he said.
(If the service is not available here, the patient really has to cross to another place.)
With about 20% of the reported ₱35-million allocation still unused based on the municipality's stated utilization, the remaining funds will continue to be important to patients who need medical assistance.
Espinas also urged residents to use the free health services available at the Mambajao Primary Care Facility, which is PhilHealth-accredited.
The facility offers wellness check-ups and other primary care services.
Espinas said early consultation can help residents address health problems before they become more serious and may also help them avoid higher medical expenses later.
For residents, the MAIFIP program provides assistance for basic medicines as well as medical services that are not available on the island.
But access still depends on meeting the program's requirements and staying within the assistance allowed under the fund. (With reports from Recthie T. Paculba of PIA-10/Camiguin)
