By Jennifer P. Rendon
The establishment of the Iloilo City Hospital will help augment hospital bed capacities in the city.
This, as former President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11891 or “An Act Establishing in the City of Iloilo, a City Hospital to be Known as the Iloilo City Hospital and Appropriating Funds Therefor,” on June 29, 2022.
Under the said law, P500 million would be appropriated for the hospital’s capital outlay, which shall be included in the budget of Department of Health under the 2023 General Appropriations Act.
Earlier, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said the city government will finance the construction with a P500-million loan from state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines.
In February this year, Treñas said that the Iloilo City Hospital project is up for bidding.
The city government initiated the establishment of Iloilo City Hospital “to cater to the healthcare needs of more Ilonggos, the urgency of which was highlighted at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The 100-bed hospital will be constructed at Brgy. San Pedro, Molo district on a lot overlooking Esplanade 2. It will be located near the molecular laboratory.
Treñas added that it is one of the city government’s priorities to really bring much improved public health service to the Ilonggos and to also help decongest the private hospitals of patients coming from the city.
The facility is a Level 2 hospital. Just like some private and public hospitals, it will also have OB-Gyne, surgery, pedia, and internal medicine.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, it is deemed ready to operate after at least two to two and a half years.
“If we will only base on our city residents, there are enough beds on the 10 hospitals located in Iloilo City. However, the rest of other provinces also refer patients here because of the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and for tertiary care that provincial hospitals don’t have,” he earlier said.
Iloilo City hosts eight private hospitals and two public hospitals which also attend to patients from all over Panay Island, thus reaching full capacity during the COVID surge.
Meanwhile, re-elected Rep. Julienne Baronda of the lone district of Iloilo City said she is “over the moon with the passage of the bill – now officially RA 11891.
“This piece of legislation will greatly improve our capacity to provide affordable and quality health and medical services to the Ilonggos and even our neighboring provinces,” she said.
Baronda said it would complement the existing licensed hospitals in Iloilo City.
“Aside from this, the creation of the Iloilo City Hospital opens a myriad of socio-economic benefits such as more job opportunities, and livelier business environment,” she said.
Baronda also cited Treñas, the Sangguniang Panlungsod, and the Iloilo City Government for their support.
He also acknowledged the Department of Health, Senate Health Committee chair Sen. Bong Go, incoming Senate President Sen. Migz Zubiri, House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, House Majority Leader and incoming House Speaker Martin Romualdez, House Committee on Health, her colleagues in the House of Representatives, and everyone who helped “in seeing this initiative through.”
“And last but not least, madamo gid nga salamat, Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” she said.
