THE GROWING “hue and cry” against Negros Occidental Capitol’s One Hospital Command (OHC) — particularly its referral system for hospital admission, even during emergencies — is becoming louder and more pronounced.
No less than the Association of Chief Executives (ACE)–Negros Occidental raised the issue directly with Gov. Bong Lacson during a luncheon meeting last week.
In a rare show of unity, the province’s 31 mayors spoke in chorus against the five-year-old OHC, a system implemented by the Capitol during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. While the mayors acknowledged that OHC served its purpose during the health crisis, they now find it ill-suited to present-day realities.
Toboso’s Mayor Richard Jaojoco was particularly vocal, urging the governor to abolish the OHC as soon as possible.
In their candid discussion with Gov. Lacson, the mayors revealed a grim reality: many of their constituents have died inside tricycles or private vehicles while waiting for hospital referrals under the OHC system.
Under OHC policy, Negrenses facing medical emergencies cannot be brought directly to hospitals. Instead, they must first go to their respective municipal or city health offices to secure referral tickets from midwives, nurses, or disaster risk reduction officers on duty.
If no beds are available in any of the nine provincial government-run hospitals, patients are forced to wait — sometimes for days, weeks, or even months.
And while waiting, some die.
REALITY ON THE GROUND
This harsh reality deeply pains the mayors. Worse, they often become the target of anger from patients’ relatives who do not fully understand the OHC system. What these families know — and all they want — is for their loved ones to see a doctor while they are suffering and in pain.
Beyond this basic expectation, Negrenses tend to become skeptical. They doubt. They overthink.
For many, including the mayors of Negros Occidental, OHC has become an anti-poor policy — one that deserves to be scrapped.
Governor Lacson listened to the mayors’ sentiments and understood where they were coming from. Acknowledging their concerns, he encouraged them to speak candidly and revealed that he had already ordered an immediate review of the OHC.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
When Victorias City councilor Dino Acuña learned about the growing controversy surrounding OHC, he immediately issued an official statement, which he posted on his Facebook account.
Below is Acuña’s statement in full —not only in his capacity as a city councilor and chair of the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s Committee on Health, but also as a member of the Board of Directors of Kaayong Lawas Foundation, Inc.:
“I welcome Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson’s directive calling on mayors to review the One Hospital Command (OHC) system amid the growing public concern surrounding its implementation.
“This openness to reassessment is a necessary and timely step, as the protection of life must always remain at the center of any health policy.
“Victorias City is among the local government units most severely affected by the OHC policy. We operate not only an eight-hour City Health Office, but also the Kaayong Lawas Emergency Facility—now the Remedios Abelardo Bantug Memorial Emergency Hospital—which serves as a primary emergency referral center not just for Victorias, but also for Manapla and parts of E.B. Magalona.
“In addition, our Kaayong Lawas Outpatient Emergency Clinic operates on a 24-hour basis, responding largely to indigent and emergency cases.
“Under the current OHC system, patients are prevented from immediately accessing provincial hospital services while awaiting referral approval. In emergency situations, this delay has had tragic consequences, particularly for those who cannot afford private hospital care.
“The resulting loss of lives due to delayed treatment is deeply troubling and unacceptable from a public health standpoint.
“While the objectives of the OHC—to decongest hospitals and streamline referrals—are well-intentioned, its present implementation requires urgent review and correction. Emergency care must never be obstructed by administrative bottlenecks.
“Even with assurances that patients in serious emergency situations are exempted from the OHC policy, the reality on the ground tells a different story.
“The degree of seriousness required to determine a life-and-death situation cannot always be accurately assessed in real time, especially when diagnostic tests are available only inside hospitals.
“In practice, this policy has proven ineffective, unreliable, and prone to fatal misjudgment, resulting in dangerous delays in treatment. Based on firsthand experience, I have personally lost many friends and kasimanwas due to these delays — a painful reminder that policies affecting emergency care must err on the side of saving lives rather than administrative control.
“I respectfully urge Gov. Bong Lacson to fully review this policy and exercise his authority to institute corrective measures that will protect our people, especially the poor and vulnerable.
“Public health policies must ultimately serve the people — swiftly, humanely, and without unnecessary barriers.”
DIAZ’S DEFENSE
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II, however, defended the OHC, describing it as one of the best health programs ever implemented by the Capitol.
According to Diaz, OHC is data-driven, utilizing analytics and statistical techniques to document patient information and track hospital operations. He said it employs digital visualization to identify patterns, trends, and insights that help organizations make informed decisions, predict outcomes, and optimize performance.
Diaz added that the system involves collecting, cleaning, organizing, and analyzing data to transform raw information into actionable insights — ranging from basic reporting to advanced analytical models.
He further emphasized that OHC complements the province’s P1.5-billion investment for upgrading nine provincial hospitals.
Controversially, Diaz also cited what he described as the “bad attitudes” of some doctors and nurses who allegedly refuse to attend to emergency cases.
UNFIT FOR LIFE-AND-DEATH SCENARIOS
Point by point, Diaz’s arguments may sound impressive on paper. But when measured against the real-life medical emergencies faced by Negrenses, these narratives simply do not fit life-and-death situations on the ground.
The mayors are speaking out now because they have firsthand experience. Diaz needs to listen.
Negrenses should not be forced to swallow a purely digitalized version of healthcare when their immediate medical needs demand urgency — not referral tickets.
Negrenses in pain need doctors. They need hospitals. So why let them wait?
If Diaz believes OHC is effective, then that is his view. But when the overwhelming majority are clamoring against it, he must respect that sentiment. Why insist on something that people clearly reject?
This is a moment for reflection. Brilliance is irrelevant here. What OHC needs is compassion.
Doctors and nurses merely follow orders. They are not “bad,” as alleged. They serve with heart — but at the end of the day, they obey policy directives.
Diaz should look in the mirror and ask himself: “Why do they hate OHC?”
He already knows the answer./PN
