ILOILO – Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. has no plan of giving up the management of 12 district hospitals here, including the Iloilo Provincial Hospital.
The provincial government has the capacity to operate and maintain them despite the difficulties posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, he stressed.
“They are earning but not as much nga gusto naton like private hospitals kay ti budlay…but they are doing well, maka-revenue kita up to a certain level,” Defensor told Panay News.
Managing district hospitals is not easy, according to the governor, since they could not mark up the prices of medicines and other fees.
“Kon tan-awon mo, it’s difficult to run a government hospital, especially a district hospital, as a business enterprise,” said Defensor.
“It’s a big challenge,” he added. “Halos makasiling ‘kaw nga there’s a contradiction. Ngaa? Number one, ang private hospitals 90 percent business, 10 percent charity. Ang government hospitals gamay lang… baliskad ‘na.”
Every year, funds for the capitol-run hospitals are included in the province’s annual budget. This year, the provincial government allotted P1,151,594,721 for these hospitals:
* Aleosan District Hospital in Barangay Bancal, Alimodian
* Barotac Viejo District Hospital in Barangay San Lucas, Barotac Viejo
* Dr. Ricardo S. Provido Memorial District Hospital in Barangay Dalid, Calinog
* Don Valerio Palmares Sr. Memorial District Hospital on Alfelor Street, Passi City
* Dr. Ricardo Y. Ladrido Memorial District Hospital in Barangay Poblacion, Ilawod, Lambunao
* Ramon D. Duremdes District Hospital in Barangay Ilaya 1st, Dumangas
* Federico Roman Tirador Sr. Memorial District Hospital in Barangay Jibolo, Janiuay
* Iloilo Provincial Hospital in Barangay Rumbang, Pototan
* Jesus M. Colmenares Memorial District Hospital in Barangay Tingui-an, Balasan
* Ramon Tabiana Memorial District Hospital in Barangay Pungtod, Cabatuan
* Rep. Pedro G. Trono Memorial District Hospital on Garriel Street, Guimbal
* San Joaquin Mother and Child Hospital in San Joaquin
* Sara District Hospital in Barangay Anoring, Sara
Earlier, Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go proposed the renationalization and expansion of public hospitals, claiming that local government units (LGUs) cannot shoulder the cost of building hospitals, hence, the national government must step in to help.
Senator Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, meanwhile, pointed out: health services have been devolved to the LGUs under the Local Government Code.
Go, chairperson of the Senate committee on health, accused Drilon of delaying the passage of his hospital expansion bills after the latter raised concerns over the plan to compel the national government to shoulder the funding of public hospitals.
Drilon, in turn, rejected Go’s insinuation, saying his concerns in terms of governance policies were legitimate.
‘IMPROVE BIZ SIDE’
Meanwhile, Defensor said he is planning to improve the business side of the district hospitals to generate more income.
“Gusto ko i-adjust ang iya business model,” said Defensor.
According to the governor, Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara, who also serves as chairman of the committee on finance in the Senate, offered his assistance.
He said the committee’s budget team held a meeting with Hospital Management Office (HMO) head Dr. Cynthia Cabangal-Ng and other hospital chiefs after the senator requested for the development of the district hospitals.
“They want to develop our hospitals and they want to put it in the 2022 budget,” said Defensor said. (With report from PNA/PN)
