‘BETTER HEALTH FACILITIES’: Iloilo hospitals up for upgrades

By John Noel E. Herrera

The 13 hospitals in Iloilo province will be upgraded after the Iloilo Provincial Government secured P595.615 million from the national government.

The funds which will come from the 2023 General Appropriations Act under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program of the Department of Health (DOH) are also P200 million higher compared to the original P395.615 million requested by the provincial government.

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. emphasized that the upgrading of the hospitals will make way to cater to more patients and reduce referrals to tertiary hospitals in Iloilo City.

Defensor also said that their efforts of continuously seeking for more budget have paid off and the residents can now look forward to better healthcare services in the province with the upgrade of the health facilities.

The provincial government also noted that P487.5 million will be allotted for infrastructure projects, while P108.115 million will be used for the purchase of additional medical equipment.

Defensor also thanked Senator Sonny Angara, chairman of the Senate committee on finance, for facilitating the province’s request as sustaining the operations and maintenance of the 13 district hospitals in the province is critical.

Aside from facilitating the said budget for the rehabilitation of 13 hospitals, Angara also previously facilitated a grant of P121.029 million for the Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients (MAIP) program in Iloilo.

The Rep. Pedro G. Trono Memorial District Hospital in Guimbal, Iloilo has the highest budget allocation with P165.4 million, followed by Sara, Iloilo District Hospital with P120 million; San Joaquin Mother and Child Hospital in San Joaquin, Iloilo with P114.405 million; Federico Roman Tirador Sr. District Hospital in Janiuay (35.6 million); Iloilo Provincial Hospital in Pototan (P29.5 million); Dr. Ricardo Provido Sr. Memorial Hospital in Calinog (P28.350 million); Aleosan District Hospital in Alimodian (P22 million); Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. District Hospital in Barotac Viejo (P18 million); Jesus Colmenares District Hospital in Balasan (P14.620 million); Ramon Tabiana Memorial District Hospital in Cabatuan (P14 million); Don Valerio Palmares Sr. District Hospital in Passi City (P13.740 million); Dr. Ricardo Ladrido Memorial Hospital in Calinog (P11 million), and Ramon Duremdes District Hospital in Dumangas with P9 million.

The provincial government also continues to implement programs to upgrade the authorized hospital beds in the province by up to 80 to 85 percent to reach the national target of the DOH and ensure a higher level of medical care in the province.

It added that the Iloilo Provincial Hospital would be upgraded to a Level II health facility, while the Rep. Pedro G. Trono Memorial Hospital in Guimbal and the Sara District Hospital were capacitated to reach the Level II hospital category by 2025.