ILOILO City — The Iloilo City Government is eyeing the upgrading of the Jaro 1 District Health Center into a Super Health Center following the inauguration of the Arevalo District Super Health Center as part of its continuing efforts to expand access to quality and affordable healthcare services.
Mayor Raisa S. Treñas said the proposed upgrading of the Jaro 1 facility is now under review to determine how its capacity and services can be expanded to better respond to the healthcare needs of residents.
The initiative is part of the city government’s goal of transforming all district health centers into primary healthcare facilities equipped to provide more comprehensive medical services, including maternity care, dental services, pharmacy, laboratory services, and minor surgical procedures.
“Aside sa education, ang next naton nga priority is the healthcare sang mga Ilonggo diri sa syudad. Right now, we are upgrading our health centers, our district health centers into primary healthcare facilities,” Treñas said.
Apart from Jaro 1, the city government is also pursuing the upgrading of the La Paz Maternity Clinic and the health facilities in Lapuz.
“Ang aton nga goal is para mas madamo nga programs and services ang mahatag sa aton mga pumuluyo. May ara iban dialysis, pharmacy, kag laboratories. If we upgrade these facilities, madamo gid ang makabenepisyo,” she added.
The city government is likewise prioritizing the improvement of at least 80 barangay health stations across Iloilo City to strengthen primary healthcare delivery at the community level.
“We are making sure that healthcare is accessible and free para sa mga Ilonggo diri sa syudad,” Mayor Treñas said.
She emphasized that these initiatives are aimed at bringing healthcare services closer to communities, ensuring that residents can access medical attention without having to travel far or shoulder unnecessary expenses.
STRENGTHENING HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES
The expansion of healthcare facilities and programs forms part of the Health and Social Services pillar of the Iloilo City Government’s Rise-to-Action Framework.
Anchored on this priority, the Treñas administration has implemented various programs designed to make healthcare and social assistance more accessible to Ilonggos.
Among its flagship initiatives is the establishment of the Atipan Center, which has served nearly 35,000 individuals since its launch last year. The city government also brings frontline City Hall services closer to communities through Atipan-on-Move, which has served nearly 4,000 Ilonggos across five barangays.
Other healthcare initiatives include Maayo Med, which provides free medicines through nine Uswag pharmacies; Maayo Ilonggo, which delivers free health services through district health centers; and MediSen+, which provides free maintenance medicines to senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
The city also implements HAPLOS (Health Assistance sa Pumuluyo, Laboratory kag Ospital Serbisyo Program), which, in partnership with 10 city hospitals, provides medical assistance of up to P50,000 to qualified indigent and financially challenged Iloilo City residents.
The assistance may cover hospitalization, diagnostic procedures, laboratory services, medicines, medical supplies, and other essential healthcare needs.
To date, the program has released P26 million in medical assistance, benefiting 1,436 individuals.
AREVALO SUPER HEALTH CENTER OPENS DOORS TO EXPANDED SERVICES
Meanwhile, the newly inaugurated Arevalo District Super Health Center, which opened on October 2, 2026, is expected to provide comprehensive and quality healthcare services closer to residents of Arevalo and nearby districts.
The two-storey facility is equipped to accommodate laboratory, X-ray, pharmacy, dental, and maternal and child health services, providing residents with access to a wider range of medical services within their district.
“Ang aton syudad tinguhaan gid nga kon pwede lang mapalibre ang mga services, mabuligan naton ang tanan nga nagamasakit. Amo na ang goal sang aton Super Health Center, may makadtuan ang aton mga pumuluyo nga mabal-an nila nga may naga-atipan sa ila,” Treñas said.
Department of Health – Western Visayas Center for Health Development director Dr. Mar Wynn D. Bello, who attended the inauguration, described the facility as among the best health centers he had seen during his visits to four regions.
The Arevalo Super Health Center has a total project cost of P72 million, with approximately P14.5 million in partial funding from the DOH’s Health Facility Enhancement Program (HFEP).
The DOH funding allocation includes P10 million for infrastructure, P2 million for medical equipment, and P2 million for an ambulance.
With the opening of the Arevalo facility and the planned upgrading of other district health centers, the city government continues to pursue its goal of establishing stronger community-based healthcare facilities and ensuring that quality medical services are within reach of every Ilonggo./PN
