ILOILO City – Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito led the groundbreaking rites for the P600-million Heart and Lung Center of the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) and the unveiling of the project perspective of the P300-million Heart, Lung and Kidney Institute of the West Visayas State University Medical Center (WVSUMC).
The author and principal sponsor of the Universal Health Care Law vowed to keep facilitating health-related projects for the Ilonggos while citing his former chief political officer, Julienne “Jam-jam” Baronda, for doing the legwork that led to the approval of the landmark projects.
“Once these facilities are done and are operational, Ilonggo patients won’t have to fly to Metro Manila anymore for life-saving procedures as these would be available here in Iloilo City and these would also be more affordable,” said Ejercito on March 8.
Baronda, Ejercito’s chief political officer of almost five years and now leading congressional candidate, said she was requested by doctors to bring the senator to WVMC and WVSUMC so he would see first-hand the sorry state of these regional hospitals.
The six-storey Heart and Lung Center of WVMC will house thoraco-cardiovascular operating rooms, surgical intensive care units, coronary care units, non-invasive cardiology section, vascular section, pulmonary section, wards and private rooms.
On the other hand, the 10-storey Heart, Lung and Kidney Institute of WVSUMC will be home to cardiovascular and renal units which can then offer open heart surgeries, heart bypass as well as kidney transplant and other critical procedures.
“It seemed like a dream two years ago when Jam-jam Baronda brought me to Western [Visayas Medical Center] and West [Visayas State University Medical Center]. I can remember [WVSUMC hospital chief] Dr. Ramon Guerra was still sick but went down from his hospital room with a hep-lock and met me, and presented to me their dream,” said Ejercito.
Dr. Joseph Dean Nicolo also laid down their problems and plans when the senator went to WVMC.
“I assured them of my help. Jam-jam would remind to do this and that for the papers to proceed. So I am happy to have helped. I consider these my gifts to my fellow Ilonggos,” Ejercito said.
As chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Ejercito wants to improve the health facilities.
“That’s why I included the improvement of health facilities in the Universal Health Care Law. I fought for the HFEP (Health Facilities Enhancement Program) to be re-included in the 2019 General Appropriations Act because I want to rehabilitate and improve health facilities all over the country,” said Ejercito.
His target is to lower the bed-to-patient ratio “so that there would be no more patients in the aisles, in the corridors of hospitals.”
“Hopefully by 2022 we would not see these sad conditions in hospitals anymore,” said Ejercito.
According to Baronda, when Ejercito saw the sad conditions in the two hospitals, he vowed to help them secure their proposed projects.
“So he tasked me to be on top of this. I would follow up the needed documents from WVMC or WVSUMC to the concerned departments in Metro Manila. At times I would even hassle Dr. Guerra to fly to Manila immediately so he could sign the required documents,” revealed Baronda.
Facilitating the projects was challenging, she said, “But here we are now, we are on the first phase. I think each would need P1.2 billion so should I be lucky to be your representative and with Sen. JV being re-elected, there would be two persons who would push that these projects will be finished.”
Ejercito’s mother, San Juan City mayor Guia Gomez who also flew in supposedly to represent her son but who was able to make it here from Butuan City Friday last week, said she was very proud of him because he knew how to look back to his roots.
“Senator JV is half Ilonggo. My mother, his lola, was from Molo. I spent my childhood in Molo before we moved to Bacolod City. But I must apologize because I did not teach him how to speak Hiligaynon. He can understand but cannot speak. You know he was studying in Xavier School and they had to learn English, Chinese and Tagalog. I thought teaching him Hiligaynon was too much already but I regret it. Nonetheless he is more Ilonggo than Tagalog by heart and traits,” Gomez said.
Baronda, meanwhile, vowed to be the counterpart of Ejercito in the House to push for the additional budgetary requirements for the next phases of the projects.
She also assured Ilonggos she would help Ejercito push for the expansion of WVMC to a 700-bed capacity hospital.
“You know you are assured of a representative in Congress who has friends who can help us achieve our dreams. I have contributed in my own small way to the realization of the big dream of Western and Don Benito. That is why I know we can make Iloilo City People’s Hospital a reality because I have gone through a training of sort through these two projects. I know the processes. I know we can afford it through local and national funding. If Jam-jam Baronda wins, this will be my legacy to the people of Iloilo City,” said Baronda.
Baronda is running on the platform of HOPE or Health, Obra (work), Peace and Order, and Education.
Under HOPE she will continue the medical assistance programs of incumbent Cong. Jerry Treñas and will expand it to cover even those confined in private hospitals.
She also lists as her top priority the creation of Iloilo City People’s Hospital, which will be a co-project with the executive department under Treñas who is running for mayor.
“Our soon-to-be mayor, Congressman Treñas, and myself will work together to bring into reality the Iloilo City People’s Hospital. He will work to provide the needed human resource and MOOE while I will look for national funds for the construction of the building and the purchase of equipment. And with Team Uswag in the City Council, this dream will become a reality,” Baronda further said./PN
