Virgilio Lorenzo Jr

Mon Tulfo defends doctor-shaming over professional fee

Media personality Mon Tulfo is detained at the Special Mayor’s Reaction Team office at the Manila City Hall on May 18, 2022. According to the Manila Police District, Tulfo was arrested over cyber libel charges. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

David Dizon

ABS-CBN News

Retired columnist Mon Tulfo defended Monday his viral post calling out a specialist at the Philippine Heart Center who allegedly asked for P85,000 professional fee for treating a patient.Speaking to DZMM, Tulfo said doctors in government hospitals should show more compassion to indigent patients.“Alam mo kailangan ding maibunyag ‘yung kanilang paniningil ng malalaking professional fee sa mahihirap. Ang sinasabi nila espesyalista sila, sayang ang pinag-aralan nila. E di ba meron din naman medical ethics? Na kapag mahirap ‘yung pasyente mo, maging considerate ka naman. Kawawa naman ‘yung mga tao…Mahirap na nga, tatapakan mo pa,” he said in a DZMM interview.Tulfo said the patient, a diabetic woman whose leg wound would not heal, could not be discharged because she still had a balance of P139,000 in the hospital.This, despite getting several contributions including P100,000 from his brother, Sen. Erwin Tulfo, P50,000 from Caridad Tulfo Foundation, P100,000 from another friend, P75,000 from Malasakit Center and P25,000 from Congressman Miro Quimbo to settle the bill. Told that the Philippine Medical Association had refuted the P85,000 professional fee, he said: “Nag sisingungaling ‘yung isa sa kanila.”He added that he could find a way to pay the balance if the P85,000 professional fee is removed.The Philippine Medical Association has called out the public shaming of a doctor-surgeon at the Philippine Heart Center over his professional fee for treating a patient who had an infected leg wound.In a statement, the PMA said professional fees for doctors can vary based on several factors, including the complexity and  type of service rendered and level of expertise of the physician handling the case.PMA president Hector Santos said the doctor had already talked to the patient beforehand about lowering his fee but was surprised when Tulfo suddenly bashed him online. &quot;Bakit kailangang siraan &#x27;yung doktor? Pag-usapan ho ninyo,&quot; he said.

Retired columnist Mon Tulfo defended Monday his viral post calling out a specialist at the Philippine Heart Center who allegedly asked for P85,000 professional fee for treating a patient.

Retired columnist Mon Tulfo defended Monday his viral post calling out a specialist at the Philippine Heart Center who allegedly asked for P85,000 professional fee for treating a patient.