• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
More than 1,800 farm workers are expected to avail of the Sickness Benefit Program of the Angels’ Wings Foundation Inc. of lawyer Rowena “Weng” Lopez Lizares in support of the health programs of her husband, Talisay City Mayor Neil Lizares.
The launching, held in Barangay Zone 12A on Sunday (Feb. 2), was attended by 88 farm managers from eight identified pilot barangays.
These include Dos Hermanas, Concepcion, Efigenio Lizares, Matab-ang, Katilingban, San Fernando, Zone 12A and Zone 15.
The farm managers have been tapped to help the foundation in identifying the recipients in their respective haciendas.
Under the Sickness Benefit Program, the beneficiaries can receive assistance in case they are confined either in a public or private hospital.
Each beneficiary will receive a financial assistance of P2,500 once every year, which is equivalent to five days of salary in the hacienda.
Lando Linaha, one of the farm managers, said farm workers are always seeking his help for transportation expenses and food, among others, if they or members of their families are hospitalized.
The program will be a big help to the beneficiaries, he added.
The Angels’ Wings Foundation, which merged with the Hernan Lopez Foundation in 2016, has been serving the underprivileged residents of Talisay.
Lizares said the program will commence immediately and the beneficiaries will receive the financial assistance within 48 hours after they have complied with the requirements.
“This prototype program, if it works and becomes successful, will be expanded to other sectors such as the transport and fisherfolk,” she added.
Mayor Lizares also announced the establishment of the Super Health Centers in barangays Matab-ang and Dos Hermanas aside from the efforts of the city government to extend medical assistance to the less privileged. | GB
