ILOILO City – Former senator JV “Mr. Healthcare” Ejercito is set to visit today the ongoing construction of Western Visayas Medical Center’s (WVMC) six-storey Regional Heart and Lung Specialty Center which he facilitated when he was the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health.
“I will visit the project site that was started just last December because I want to make sure that the construction is on time. I know that our fellow Ilonggos are as excited as I am to have this done,” Ejercito, who arrived here yesterday as guest of honor during the coronation of the fiesta queen and king of Passi City, told Panay News.
Some P449 million was already obligated for the construction of the center that will house thoracic-cardiovascular operating rooms, surgical intensive care units, coronary care units, non-invasive cardiology section, vascular section, pulmonary section, wards, and private rooms. It has a total budget requirement of P600 million.
“I am also happy to inform you that the expansion of Western Visayas Medical Center’s bed capacity to 700 from 425 will be deliberated upon next week in the House. Cong. (Julienne) Jam Baronda informed me about it yesterday. This was our priority when I was the Senate Committee on Health chairperson, but we ran out of time, so she filed it in the Lower House when she came in. And I am glad about the development because it is moving a bit fast. Magaling talaga si Cong. Jam,” said Ejercito.
Ejercito further said that Ilonggos, and Filipinos in general, stand to benefit from the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law that he fought hard for and defended in the Senate to become a law, thereby earning him the moniker “Mr. Healthcare”.
Congress allocated P172.4 billion in the General Appropriations Act for the implementation of the Universal Health Care Act.
“Ang UHC ay batas na naglalayon na siguraduhin na ang bawat Pilipino ay magkakaroon ng isang malusog na pamumuhay. Ito ay magbibigay daan tungo sa isang kumprehensibong serbisyong pangkalusugan na malayo sa pinansiyal na pagpapahirap,” Ejercito explained.
In the first year of the implementation, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) will offer free medical checkup, laboratory tests and give basic medicines to patients./PN
