Manila: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Tuesday said its clients in need of assistance for medications may use agency-issued guarantee letters (GL) to buy their 'maintenance medicines' from any of 171 branches of Mercury Drug nationwide starting Nov. 4. In a statement, DSWD Undersecretary for Operations Monina Josefina Romualdez said, 'This partnership is a testament to the efforts of the DSWD to prioritize the welfare of individuals in crisis situations by ensuring a more efficient way to address their medical needs.' Among the Mercury Drug branches that will accommodate the DSWD-issued GLs from the Central Office are Fairview-Commonwealth; Ever Gotesco Commonwealth; Tandang Sora-Visayas; and Marikina-J.P. Rizal. The DSWD-issued GLs from the DSWD Field Office-National Capital Region (NCR) are only accepted at the Quiapo-Plaza Miranda branch. Clients in crisis from other regions may contact or visit any DSWD Field Office in their area of residence for the complete list of Mercur y Drug stores or pharmacies accepting DSWD-issued GLs. Agency clients may also check the pharmacy for the signage 'DSWD Guarantee Letter is accepted here' if the branch is accepting agency-issued GLs. A guarantee letter is a document issued by the DSWD in favor of the beneficiary addressed to service providers that guarantees the payment of the service, including medicine, on behalf of the client. The Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) is one of the social protection services of the DSWD that provides medical, burial, transportation, food, or financial assistance to individuals who are in crisis as assessed by social workers. Source: Philippines News Agency