BY GLENDA TAYONA
ILOILO City – On Sept. 9 the city government will break ground for the construction of the Iloilo City Hospital in Barangay San Pedro, Molo district.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri will grace the event, according to Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, together with former Ilonggo senator Franklin Drilon, Cong. Julienne Baronda, and Uswag Ilonggo party-list’s Cong. Jojo Ang.
The city government would finance the hospital construction with a P500-million loan from the state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines.
Zubiri committed an additional P200 million for the proposed Medical Arts Building (doctors’ clinic) of the city hospital.
“This is one of our priorities to bring improved public healthcare service to the Ilonggos,” said Treñas.
Then President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law Republic Act (RA) 11891 creating the Iloilo City Hospital before he stepped down from office on June 30.
The hospital will be under the direct supervision of the Iloilo City government.
The law, authored by Baronda, allocates P500 million as a capital outlay for the city hospital, which shall be included in the budget of the Department of Health for 2023 through the General Appropriations Act.
Baronda said the city government already submitted to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) a list of the needed equipment for the hospital.
Baronda also sought the help of House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“We want more (for the city hospital)” said Baronda./PN
