Cebu solons: Let DOH run Medellin hospital

CEBU, Philippines — Eight Cebu lawmakers are lobbying for the approval of a bill that seeks to allow the government to take over the operations of the sugarcane planters’ hospital in Medellin town.

Fourth District Representative Janice Salimbangon, principal author; and co-authors, Deputy Speaker and Cebu Third District Rep. Pablo John Garcia, First District Rep. Eduardo Gullas, Second District Rep. Wilfredo Caminero, Fifth District Rep. Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco, Sixth District Rep. Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon, Seventh District Peter John Calderon and Lapu-Lapu City Lone District Rep. Paz Radaza filed House Bill No. 6121 on January 29.

The bill seeks the establishment of a general hospital in Barangay Luy-a, Medellin in northern Cebu to be known as the Bogo-Medellin Medical Hospital.

“This bill seeks to transfer the management and operation of Bogo-Medellin Medical Center (BMMC) from Bogo-Medellin Sugarcane Planters’ Association (BMSPA) to the government thru the Department of Health (DOH) to continue to provide adequate health care for the Filipinos and be established as general hospital in Medellin,” read the explanatory note.

Since its establishment, Salimbangon said BMMC has attended to the medical needs of the constituents of the fourth district.

BMMC provides free medical services for the sugarcane workers. It also caters to the adjacent towns’ residents who seek medical help.

However, due to the continuing economic downturn of the sugarcane industry, BMMC is burdened by financial constraints in keeping its operations afloat.

Report said that 80 percent of the current budget allocated by the BMSPA to the BMMC is eaten up by its operations and management alone, leaving only a mere 20 percent for the medicines.

“It is feared that if this situation continues, the hospital will close and the facilities and medical equipment will go to waste, and the constituents that the hospital currently serves will have to resort to other far-flung hospital,” Salimbangon said.

The situation also prompted hospital staff, such as doctors, nurses and pharmacists, to leave their posts. The hospital is currently understaffed.

BMSPA Board of Directors decided to request for the transfer of the BMMC management to the government to help alleviate its current condition.

DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III and DOH-7 Regional Director Jaime Bernadas earlier expressed their willingness to absorb BMMC to become a government hospital. (FREEMAN)