Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte said she has told the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) that the city government will not shoulder the medical expenses of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients found to have acquired the infection by violating the protocols of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).
Mayor Inday made this announcement as she noted that many private vehicles roam around the city while the curfew is in effect.
She said that if it will be established during the contact tracing and interview that the patient acquired Covid-19 from violating the ECQ protocol, no medical assistance from the city government will be extended to them.
“Kung natakdan ka og Covid-19 tungod nag-violate ka sa Enhanced Community Quarantine, dili mobayad ang city government sa imong pagpahospital,” she said.
Mayor Inday said that she can hardly think of reasons why private vehicles have to roam around the city during the ECQ as there are only limited establishments that remain to be operational, and that only a few people are allowed to go out of their homes.
“Most of the supermarket workers do not use these kinds of vehicles,” she said.
Mayor Inday said while they can still use their Philhealth, no assistance will be extended to them if their hospital bills exceed the Philhealth coverage.
“They can afford the gasoline of these vehicles so they should prepare for the payment of their hospital bills once they acquire Covid-19 from violating the protocols of the ECQ,” she added. CIO
