ILOILO City – Officials and personnel of the Department of Health Region 6 are hoping they could move to their own building in Santa Barbara, Iloilo in 2019.
The agency held a groundbreaking for its structure in Barangay Bolong Oeste, Santa Barbara, in front of the Western Visayas Sanitarium, on May 9.
Currently the DOH-6 holds office at the Western Visayas Medical Center compound in Mandurriao district.
Those who led the ceremony were DOH-6 director Marlyn Convocar, Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr., Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, Provincial Legal Officer Dennis Ventilacion, and Mayor Dennis Superficial of Santa Barbara.
The DOH central office has handed the Western Visayas office last year P130 million – a portion of the P300-million fund for the construction of the regional office building – Convocar said.
“We hope before the end of next year, maka-transfer na ang DOH (Region 6),” said the regional director.
Convocar said the four-story building will also house the National Nutrition Commission, Bureau of Quarantine and the Commission on Population to enable these attached agencies to “work closely.”
The Iloilo provincial government donated the lot 8,000-square meter lot where the DOH-6 building will be built.
“Nagapasalamat gid kami kay Gov. Arthur Defensor sa pag-provide sa amon sang nagakaigu nga lote,” Convocar said. “After many years, we have found a home.”/PN
