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‘Liaison office is ideal in Manila’
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Posted on Apr 20 2005
House Health and Welfare committee chair Crispin Ogo still believes that having a liaison office in Manila is wise for the CNMI, citing that it would not only serve referral patients but also other patients who want to seek medical treatment in the Philippines.
“Our idea is for us to rent a facility where our patients, especially first-time visitors, can go to get assistance,” said Ogo.
The Senate will mostly likely junk the House bill that proposes to create a liaison office in Manila for the referral program, after senators consulted with Guam on its “successful” referral system in Manila—sans a liaison office.
Five senators, including Sen. Joseph Mendiola, met with Guam Gov. Felix Camacho and other Guam officials recently to learn about Guam’s medical referral system.
Mendiola said that Guam only maintains an agent in Manila to provide logistical support for its patients.
He said Guam refers an average of 25 patients a month to Manila and spends only $100,000 annually.
He said the CNMI’s expenses would be “unlimited” if it decides to set up and maintain its own office in Manila.
When the CNMI government had its office in Manila in the 1990s, he said it used to spend up to $500,000 a year.
