EB MAGALONA - He may not get the support of Rep. Alfredo Benitez in his re-election bid as governor of Negros Occidental in the 2013 elections, but Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. cited the solon's strong advocacy in the delivery of basic health services to residents of the 3rd district of Negros Occidental, through the Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Care Program.

Because of support extended by Benitez to the NOCHP, Marañon said the 3rd district topped the list of those having registered beneficiaries, among the six districts in Negros Occidental.

Almost one-third of more that 98,000 families who were enrolled in the program, came from the third district, with EB Magalona ranked third among the towns and cities with having the most number of beneficiaries, Marañon, who attended yesterday the inauguration of the two-storey health center in EB Magalona, said.

Benitez, who is the provincial chairman of the Liberal Party had, earlier expressed his support to the gubernatorial bid of Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr. (NPC) in the 2013 elections.

The 6th district of Negros Occidental, which is the bailiwick of Alvarez and his daughter, Rep. Mercedes Alvarez, ranked second, among those with NOCHP enrolees.

NOCHP records show that the program has benefitted 492,960 individuals, while about 23,000 patients has availed of its services, in more than two years of its existence.

Marañon and Benitez also led the distribution of NOCHP and PhilHealth cards during the weekend in Victorias City, and previous months in Silay City.

A total of P56,900,872.75 million had been spent for the treatment of 22,436 patients, of which P11,354,053 was paid by NOCHP, while PhilHealth paid P37,855,716 and P6,661,214 came from the Medical Social Service.

Rep. Julio Ledesma IV (Neg. Occ., 1st district) recently contributed P2.5 million to the NOCHP, while Benitez gave P10 million, a portion of which is being paid for PhilHealth premiums of the third district recipients, Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th district) contributed P6.5 million, and Rep. Alfredo Marañon III (Neg. Occ., 2nd district), Rep. Alejandro Mirasol ( Neg. Occ., 5th district) and Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer ( Neg. Occ., 4th district), P5 million each NOCHP records also showed.* GPB

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