MANILA -- The Department tof Health (DOH) and Games and Amusement Board (GAB) signed on Friday a memorandum of agreement mandating the provision of free diagnostic, medical and neurological services for professional Filipino boxers and mixed martial artists,
"It is within in the mandate of the DOH to ensure that our sports icons will be given the sufficient and sustained support for them to excel in their endeavor. We're happy to be in partnership with GAB through this MOA," DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said in a press briefing.
Under the MOA, GAB requires boxers and contact sports athletes to undergo and pass a complete medical examination administered by its physician prior to approval or renewal of their licenses.
Meanwhile, DOH shall provide free medical, eye, neurological and neurophysiological examinations every three years. It shall also provide free laboratory diagnostic examinations including CT scan and MRI to ensure the overall health of boxers and mixed martial artists.
"One of the issues raised by Chairman Mitra is the possibility of getting them automatically enrolled as members of Philhealth so they don't have to worry on a long term, but of course the membership is on an annual basis," Duque said.
Duque added his department will try to work an agreement with Philhealth and GAB to prioritize the enrollment of all professional athletes.
GAB Chairman Abraham Kahlil Mitra said the MOA is the long-time dream of every Filipino professional boxer and mixed martial artist who collectively insists to be a part of such medical benefit.
"They come from not so well-off families striving to train in not so cold and not so comfortable gyms, they have long dreamed for the government to subsidize their checkups because it's quite expensive for them...most of them are from the provinces going to Manila," he said.
Mitra said most start-up boxers only get PHP1,000 reward money for every round and rest period of 45 days if they win the match, 65 days if they lose or three months if they lose by knockout.
He said the provision of free medical examinations would help all boxers and mixed martial artists.
When asked whether the free medical aid would continue after the athletes retire, Duque said they must first become members of Philhealth and sustain their membership up to ten years to enjoy medical benefits when they retire.
Considering the department's budget for 2019, Duque expressed that DOH will be comfortable at a support level of PHP2.4 million to PHP 2.8 million to subsidize the premium or contributions of the athletes.
"Hahanapan na lang natin (We'll find a way), there's PCSO (Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office) or PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.), which I'm sure the amount is miniscule and quite affordable, I'm sure they will be very willing to provide that funding support to ensure these athletes become Philhealth members," he added.
There are 66 participating hospitals nationwide in the MOA, including Batangas Medical Center, Western Visayas Medical Center, Southern Medical Center and the Philippine Heart Center. (PNA)
