By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD CITY – The construction of the Bacolod City Health Complex is set to improve the healthcare system and provide better services for the city’s residents.
Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez, who returned from Manila last Wednesday after attending the State of the Nation Address (SONA), and Dr. Grace Tan, officer-in-charge of the City Health Office (CHO), led the groundbreaking of the P220-million healthcare facility in Barangay 20 on the same day.
The new complex will be situated in the compound of the existing City Health Office (CHO) and is targeted for completion within 32 months.
“We know for a fact that health is one of those crucial sectors or segments of government assistance that should be given priority,” Benitez said during the groundbreaking rites.
Benitez mentioned that the construction of the project will begin immediately after the groundbreaking and will be done in phases.
The complex, which will feature state-of-the-art equipment, covers 4,683 square meters and includes two four-story buildings. Building 1 will have a floor area of 1,600 square meters, while Building 2 will cover 3,073 square meters.
Benitez shared the design of the new CHO on his Facebook page. “Seeing it, it’s about time that we should enhance it,” he said.
“After almost a decade, it will be renovated to provide more health services to Bacolodnons,” Benitez stated in the local language.
Benitez noted that this project could be a step towards making the city a healthcare hub in the country, adding that the local government is prioritizing the upgrade and addition of mini hospitals, primary care facilities, and other healthcare facilities.
“That’s what we want to achieve. We would like to upgrade the existing medical facilities, and on top of that, we can come up with specialized facilities,” he added.
The mayor expressed his goal of lobbying for specialized facilities based in Bacolod City. He also mentioned the need to upgrade the Bacolod City Comprehensive Health Program (BacCHP), which enables indigents to avail free medication and easy hospital access without requiring downpayment when admitted to partner-private hospitals.
“We will assess, we will review what we can do,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tan expressed her happiness with the improvement of the CHO. “It is with much pride that the CHO will be enhanced, beautified, and improved for a better Bacolod,” she said in her message.
