ANTIQUE – With the Paliwan Bridge impassable, patients’ access to the provincial hospital was also cut off.
Gov. Rhodora J. Cadiao sent a letter on Wednesday to Aklan’s Gov. Jose Enrique M. Miraflores, asking if the Dr. Rafael S. Tumbokon Memorial General Hospital would accept referrals from Antique’s district hospitals.
“Due to the effects of Typhoon Betty and the enhanced southwest monsoon, the temporary access road in the collapsed Paliwan Bridge connecting the northern towns of Antique to the central area has become impassable. This unfortunate incident is affecting our current health referral system such that patients needing tertiary care cannot be transferred to the Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital,” read part of the letter.
It added: “As such, we humbly request Dr. Rafael S. Tumbokon Memorial Hospital to receive referrals needing secondary and tertiary care from our district hospitals in the northern part, namely: Culasi District Hospital, Justice Calixto O. Zaldivar Memorial Hospital, and Pedro L. Gindap Memorial Hospital.”
The provincial government of Aklan responded positively.
“Na-istorya ko run ang amo nga hospital, gani pwede gid ang mga Antiqueño nga maka-avail kang mga serbisyo medikal patas kang Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations kag libre nga hospitalization, patas kang gina-avail sa ASMGH. Ginahimo natun ang tanan agud matugro ang kinahanglanun kang atun katawhan,” said Cadiao.
Since the Paliwan River is impassable to vehicles, passengers are transported in the meantime using small fishing boats. The provincial government, together with the local governments of Sibalom and Laua-an, shoulder the fare.
To assure the safety of passengers, personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard, Antique Police Provincial Police Office and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices were deployed.
Paliwan Bridge – the sole bridge connecting Bugasong and Laua-an towns – collapsed during the onslaught of Tropical Storm “Paeng” on Oct. 29, 2022. The Department of Public Works and Highways created a temporary access road under the bridge through rechanneling./PN
