Manila, June 2 -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol (DSWD-5) assured Bicolanos that guarantee letters (GL) may still be used as payment to pay for medicines, laboratories fees, hospital bills, and funeral services in the region.

In an interview on Monday, DSWD-5 Regional Director Norman Laurio said the maximum amount of a GL is PHP150,000, depending on the service patients are availing.

He said that for medicines and laboratory fees, there should be a maximum of PHP10,000, though other establishments allow more than the maximum amount.

"GL can also be used for laboratories and assistive devices such as prostheses. Like our partner Simon of Cyrene, they allow more than PHP10,000 depending on the price of the pros...