Mayor asks national gov’t for help in establishment of hospital

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Mayor Evelio Leonardia asked Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri to work on the maximum participation of the national government in the establishment of a hospital, plus its maintenance and operation, here.

In a phone call to Zubiri, Leonardia thanked the latter for filing Senate Bill No. 1647 which will establish the “Bacolod City General Hospital (BCGH).”

Senate Bill No. 1647 is the counterpart of House Bill No. 6731 authored by Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya, which was approved by the House of Representatives last June 3.

“The establishment of the BCGH is a partnership between Mayor Bing Leonardia, Cong. Greg Gasataya, and myself to address this problem in Bacolod City and finally build this hospital for the people of Bacolod City,” Zubiri said.

Leonardia said that “We would prefer the national government to fund much of this project, because it would be burdensome for the local government. We would like to lessen the expenses of the city.”

Zubiri, in response, promised the mayor to amend the bill and allocate a budget for it in 2021. The senator also said that he will involve the local government officials during the public hearing of the bill.

“This will be my next flagship project for Bacolod,” said the Negrense lawmaker, who had earlier promised a P163-million museum for the city.