FMDP and Seamen’s Hospital: Healthcare as one of Kap’s Enduring Legacies.
Exposed to the elements and the hazards of the trade, the Filipino seafarer puts himself and his health at risk every time he goes out to sea. As a seafarer himself, Capt. Gregorio Oca knew firsthand the importance of healthcare. It is not surprising then that Kap put healthcare as one of the cornerstones of the Union starting with the creation of AMOSUP’s longest-running program, the Family Medical and Dental Plan in 1974 and the establishment of the Roberto S. Oca Workers’ Clinic (RSOWC), the forerunner of the Seamen’s Hospital, in 1978.
The idea of providing outpatient health services and the creation of a Union-owned hospital were way ahead of their time. In the course of the ensuing years, the idea of providing better healthcare to Union members have grown exponentially. The Roberto S. Oca Workers’ Clinic became the 100-bed Seamen’s Hospital in 1986. This was followed by the expansion of the hospital across the Philippines – Cebu in 1997, Iloilo in 2005, and the Gig Oca Robles Seamen’s Hospital in Davao in 2008.
The Seamen’s Hospital also continues to evolve and upgrade its services and facilities to cover a broader spectrum of healthcare – from diagnostics to treatment, hospitalization to dispensing of medicines, all free-of-charge to qualified members and their dependents.
Almost 50 years ago, Kap already saw the need for providing better healthcare for his fellow seafarers. The Seamen’s Hospital is a testament to his foresight as well as pioneering spirit to transcend geographic boundaries in bringing health services to Union members across the country.