P13.4M allocated for Bogo hospital rehabilitation

CEBU, Philippines — Repairs and improvements worth P13.4 million are being undertaken at the Cebu Provincial Hospital–Bogo City as the provincial government moves to restore and strengthen the facility following damage from past earthquakes.

The allocation for the hospital’s infrastructure repair and improvement was announced by Provincial Health Office consultant Dr. Nikki Catalan during the Capitol-led free medical and dental mission in Bogo City on Saturday, August 22.

The hospital sustained damage during the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu on September 30, 2025, killing more than 70 people and injuring over 500 others.

Following the earthquake, ZLREJ Construction Corp. deployed an initial team of around 60 engineers and skilled workers to undertake repairs at Medical Facility Buildings 1 and 17, including the emergency room and operating room.

The repair work was launched in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways Regional Office after a comprehensive structural assessment by engineers from the DPWH Central Office and Central Visayas.

The assessment found the hospital to be structurally sound, but identified repairs that needed immediate attention.

The rebuilding effort followed a call from DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon during his visit to the hospital on October 1, 2025, when he urged contractors in Cebu to contribute to post-earthquake rebuilding efforts, particularly in hospitals.

The hospital was also inspected following the magnitude 5.4 earthquake that struck Bogo City at around 3 p.m. on April 6, 2026.

While no major damage was recorded, inspectors observed a slight separation between the old and new buildings that had previously been joined.

The latest repair allocation comes alongside the provincial government’s acquisition of additional medical equipment for CPH-Bogo, including anesthesia machines, a cautery machine, an autoclave, a C-arm, an electrocardiogram machine, a suction machine, nebulizers, and a laparoscopy machine.

On Saturday, Governor Pamela Baricuatro also led the launch of a new mammogram machine at the hospital to strengthen its diagnostic services, particularly in detecting breast abnormalities, including possible signs of cancer, tumors, and cysts.

The infrastructure work is being undertaken as the hospital hosts a three-day surgical mission that began Friday, August 21, offering free procedures to qualified patients who underwent pre-screening.

Among the procedures being offered are breast cancer surgery, hemorrhoid surgery, hernia repair, thyroidectomy, gallbladder stone surgery, lipoma and cyst removal, and excision of various lumps and masses.

The hospital is also set to gain additional manpower, with its medical staff scheduled to take their oath as regular employees on August 26. — (FREEMAN)