MANILA — The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) seeks to include the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in the medical assistance program of the government.
According to DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III, apart from the agrarian reform program for farmers, the department is also looking at the needs of farmers across the country, as included in the nine-point priority areas of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
During one of the Cabinet meetings, Estrella said he proposed to Marcos the possibility to include the ARBs in the Department of Health’s (DOH) coverage as recipients of the Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients (MAIP) program.
The MAIP is a continuing DOH initiative that seeks to give medical aid to patients who seek consultation, rehabilitation, or examination in government hospitals.
“Farmers usually resort to borrowing money each time one of their family members gets sick,” he said.
Estrella stated that the DAR is evaluating more comprehensive support for farmers, ARBs, and agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs), in collaboration with other national agencies, to at least assist farmers in reducing their responsibilities.
Most of the ARBs belong to the marginalized sector of society and the DAR deems it proper to help them address their medical needs, he said.
“Aside from providing solutions to the problems in the security of land tenure, agrarian justice delivery, and provision of support services, we are also taking into consideration the other burdens being carried out by the ARBs,” he added.
