DSWD guarantee letters are now being accepted in these Mercury Drug branches

Beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development are entitled to use the agency's guarantee letters when they purchase medicines and essential medical supplies at 262 participating Mercury Drug branches nationwide starting Monday, June 22. 

Of this number, 137 branches are participating in Luzon, 62 in Visayas, and 63 in Mindanao. 

A guarantee letter presented at participating Mercury Drug outlets means the government will shoulder the cost, in full, of the medicines or medical devices the patient needs.

DSWD and Mercury Drug have resumed their partnership under the agency's Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program. It is designed "to expand beneficiaries' access to much-needed medicines and medical assistance while ensuring the faster and more convenient utilization of assistance provided under the AICS program," DSWD wrote in a press release.

"Magandang balita po ito para sa ating mga kababayang nangangailangan ng agarang tulong medikal," said DSWD spokesperson, Assist. Secretary Irene Dumlao. "Mapapadali na po ang pagbili ng mga kinakailangang gamot at iba pang medical supplies ng ating mga benepisyaryo."

Speaking about the agency's renewed partnership with Mercury Drug, Dumlao said the initiative had a two-pronged objective. 

"Sa ganitong paraan, hindi lamang natin napapabilis ang pagkuha nila ng tulong, kundi napapagaan din natin ang kanilang dinaranas sa panahon ng karamdaman o iba pang krisis," she said. 

Further, the spokesperson said it was conceived in response to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive to ensure faster and more efficient means to deliver government services to the public. 

"Patuloy na naghahanap ang DSWD ng mga paraan upang mapalawak at mapalapit ang access ng ating mga benepisyaryo sa mga kinakailangang tulong. Sa pamamagitan po ng partnership na ito, mas marami pang matutulungang mga Pilipino sa panahon ng kanilang pangangailangan," Dumlao added. 

Check out the participating branches below, where a DSWD sign saying guarantee letters are accepted will be prominently displayed. 

DSWD also has a similar arrangement with Generika Drugstore. 

AICS guarantee letter

An official DSWD document under the AICS program, the guarantee letter assures payment to service providers accredited by DSWD for products or services availed by eligible beneficiaries. 

Not all Filipinos are entitled to benefits, such as the guarantee letter, from the AICS program. Per DSWD, the only eligible citizens are individuals and families the agency deems to be in "a state of active crisis," or those needing financial or material support from the national government, determined by a DSWD social worker. 

To qualify for medical assistance under AICS and receive a guarantee letter, the patient must bring the following documents to the nearest DSWD satellite office or field office:

• The original medical certificate, clinical abstract, discharge summary, or Alagang Pinoy Tagubilin Form. The document must contain the patient's full name and diagnosis. It must also have the attending physician's complete name, license number, and signature. The document should have been issued within three months before the patient claims the benefit.
• The prescription with the date of issuance, along with the complete name, license number, and signature of the physician, issued within three months.

If the amount of the assistance is over P10,000, additional documents are needed:

•  Quotation of the medicine or assistive device to be purchased
• A social case study report or case summary. For this, coordinate directly with your local City or Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, where a social worker accredited by the local government unit will assess the patient's eligibility and their submitted requirements.