ILOILO City – Two government-run hospitals in this city received a total of P900 million for landmark infrastructure projects that will serve the medical needs of Ilonggos.
Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito facilitated the budget’s release. He will be here today.
The chairman of the Senate committee on health, Ejercito worked out the release of P600 million for the construction of a heart and lung multi-specialty building of the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) and P300 million for the 10-storey Cancer and Heart Center of the West Visayas State University Medical Center (WVSUMC).
Pushing for the passage of the Universal Healthcare Bill that will benefit Filipinos, Ejercito vowed to continue working hard for the remaining budgetary requirements of these two projects, which will cost a total of P2.4 billion (WVMC) and P1.4 billion (WVSUMC), respectively.
Ejercito was in Iloilo last year and visited these two medical facilities. At WVMC, hospital chief Dr. Joseph Dean Nicolo told him of the need to have a new building for its outpatient department as its existing facility is always overcrowded.
In WVSUMC, hospital chief Dr. Ramon Guerra requested that they be helped in realizing their “dream project” as it aims to provide expert care to poor cancer and heart patients.
Ejercito believed these projects would be of benefit to his Ilonggo kasimanwas who have a special place in his heart as his grandmother Paz Guanzon, the mother of San Juan City mayor Guia Gomez, is from Iloilo City.
Ejercito will also be meeting with the Conlu family members today. They are his grandmother’s relatives.
“Sen. JV [Ejercito] instructed me to ensure that Western [Visayas Medical Center] and West [Visayas State University Medical Center] will get the help that they need. So I made sure that the documents were moving and thank God the money has been downloaded. The Ilonggos will be able to avail themselves of excellent medical care once these buildings and facilities are finished,” said former Iloilo City councilor Julienne “Jam-jam” Baronda, chief political officer of Ejercito.
Ejercito is also scheduled to attend the blessing of a road concreting project in Dumangas today, and check the controversial National Housing Authority housing project in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo as he chairs also the Senate committee on housing.
He will join the people of Mina, too, celebrate their 50th founding anniversary.
He will be at the Hugpong ng Pagbabago oathtaking, also./PN
