KALIBO, Aklan – A measure seeking to establish the Aklan Geriatric Medical Center here was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on June 29 before he stepped down from office.
The newly-enacted law was authored by Aklan 1st District’s Cong. Carlito Marquez.
House Bill 10297, now Republic Act No. 11892, seeks to create the primary and special healthcare facility in Aklan for senior citizens.
The elderly, which accounts for seven percent of Aklan’s population, are vulnerable to chronic diseases, frailty, mental illnesses, and physical distress.
“It is imperative for the national government to provide an integrated and comprehensive approach to the development of our senior citizens by establishing a medical facility for them,” the solon stressed.
The Aklan Geriatric Medical Center aims to operate and administer services specializing in geriatrics medicine, promote medical and scientific research related to treatment, care, diagnostics and rehabilitation of disease of the elderly, and adopt programs on geriatric medicine for the education and training of nurses, physicians and other health care providers.
The proposed facility will be under the direct supervision and control of the provincial government of Aklan. Any future increase in bed capacity, health care service capability, and human resource complement shall be based on the hospital development plan prepared by the Chief of Hospital in consultation with the Department of Health, the law said.
There are currently four private hospitals in Kalibo – Aklan Cooperative Mission Hospital, St. Jude Hospital, Panay Health Care Multipurpose Cooperative Hospital, and Saint Gabriel Medical Center.
There’s also the provincial government-run Dr. Rafael S. Tumbokon Memorial Hospital.
These hospitals serve patients from Aklan, northern Antique, Romblon, and part of Capiz province.
The new law authored by Marquez was passed in third and final reading by the House of Representatives on Nov. 8, 2021 and the Senate of the Philippines on May 31, 2022./PN
