P230m Worth of Hosp Bldgs and Upgrade for Cebu Prov’l Hospital-Bogo City Begins

In Bogo City, northern Cebu, four new hospital buildings will soon rise within the compound of the existing Cebu Provincial Hospital – Bogo City.

Considered as a result of the commitment and teamwork of the Cebu Provincial Government, local government units and the national government, the new hospital buildings and equipment is seen to benefit not only residents of north Cebu but neighboring provinces in the Visayas as well.

Divided into two phases, building construction will be funded through the P230 million aid received by the Cebu Provincial Health Office (PHO) from the Senate, this was revealed during the groundbreaking ceremony in Bogo City last week.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, the guest of honor during the groundbreaking, said they are eager to support Governor Hilario P. Davide III’s health advocacy.

Hontiveros recalled how this ambitious project, as how she labels it, is the brainchild of PHO head Dr. Rene Catan and Provincial Board member Raci Franco.

“A plan that was detailed, had a goal and end goal in mind and not just asking for P200 (million) and what we’re gonna do,” said Franco who presented the plan to Hontiveros in October 2016.

Records show that the P200 million from the national coffers was raised through the efforts of Senator Hontiveros, with the help of Senators Bam Aquino IV, Loren Legarda, JV Ejercito and Sonny Angara. The remaining P30 million will be from Department of Health (DOH).

“Through their (Provincial Board) resolution, yung Provincial Government committed na if the funds were committed for the structure, sila ang mag mo-mobilize nung human resources, staff at tsaka yung equipment,” said Hontiveros adding that it was really a partnership across the different levels of government.

According to Vice Governor Agnes A. Magpale, the Capitol sent a liaison to the Senate to regularly follow-up on the project, including Board Franco who also frequented the Senate to make sure the plan would materialize.

Bogo City Mayor Jose Carlo Martinez expressed his gratitude for the project since his constituents will be the major beneficiaries as soon as their hospital gets upgraded. Completion of the project is seen to increase the bed capacity to 200 from the current 60.

Martinez said the upgrade is necessary due to the high number of patients in their hospital. He added that they have five ambulances and each vehicle makes four trips daily bringing patients to Cebu City.

“Ingon ana na gyud kadaghan ang mga pasyente nga gi-accommodate sa Bogo, di matabang dad-onon gyud sa Cebu,” said Martinez.

Catan said that with the major upgrade of CPH-Bogo, patients in the north would no longer need to travel to Cebu City to seek medical aid.

He said the push to upgrade the hospitals is the directive of Davide and has already started with the developments implemented in other province-run hospitals in Cebu.

Apart from residents of the northern Cebu, residents of other provinces will also be able to benefit from the project.

“In fact, it would also serve other Visayans in Leyte, Romblon, plus Bicolanos in Masbate. So it’s really going to be a catchment hospital for Central and Eastern Visayas, plus Bicol,” said Hontiveros.

Engineer Yarmen del Mar of Department of Public Works and Highways said Phase 1 of the project, worth P70 million, will be finished by December this year.

As for P130 million-worth Phase 2 bidding, construction will start middle of this year.

www.cebu.gov.ph