LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 334

TO    :    The Secretary of Health

WHEREAS, report has been received that some of the rural areas throughout the country have, one way or the other, been neglected of direct medical assistance;

WHEREAS, without appropriate medical attention by duly accredited personnel, the health and well being of the rural residents are or have been placed in unnecessary jeopardy;

WHEREAS, there is urgency to remedy the situation in line with the policy of the administration of fair and equal treatment irrespective of sex, age, race or social status;

WHEREAS, the main bulk of the populace are concentrated in the various barangays throughout the country and their being situated in remote areas should not be taken as an excuse so as to deny them free and proper assistance of the government;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers in me vested by the Constitution, do hereby direct the Secretary of health:

1.    To fix and maintain a schedule of rural visitations and assign, subject to availability, competent personnel therefor.

2.    To require the rural health physician to make periodic visits to all the barangays within his jurisdiction, and

3.    To see to it that any personnel assigned to render medical services on any particular barangay or barangays at any fixed period of time should not be allowed to collect his salary unless he presents a certificate signed by the barangay captain concerned or his duly authorized representative attesting to his presence thereat and his having rendered the required medical service.

Since 19.07.98.