ILOILO City – Mayor Jerry Treñas blasted Cong. Sharon Garin of the AAMBIS-OWWA party-list for supposedly opposing the proposed Iloilo City Hospital.
Treñas said the third reading of House Bill No. 10464 did not push through on Dec. 6 “because of the opposition of a congresswoman from a party-list from Iloilo province.” He was referring to Garin.
Treñas said Garin questioned the word “Uswag” in the name of the proposed “Uswag Iloilo City Hospital”.
“Uswag” is Hiligaynon for “progress”. But it is also the name of the party-list that Treñas formed.
“Ano labot ‘ya ni Cong. Garin diri sa aton sa syudad man? Nga-a indi ‘ya ‘ta pagpa-obrahon sang hospital? Para ‘ni ‘ya sa mga pigado. Kon gusto ‘ya, pa-obra man to sia,” Treñas said in an interview over RMN Iloilo.
During the second reading last week, the bill proponent, this Lone District’s Cong. Julienne Baronda, relented to Garin and the name of the proposed hospital was amended to “Iloilo City Hospital.”
Treñas said he had been a congressman for nine years but he never went against the “Garinasium” projects of the Garins in the 1st District.
“Sia nagpa-untat. Kay may text message ‘to sia nga pauntaton na lang anay kuno kay next year na lang. Ay ano ‘na man? Ano ‘na sia ‘ya man?” Treñas said.
He added: “I cannot comprehend why a party-list congresswoman objects to a hospital in the city after the word ‘Uswag’ which she vehemently objected to was already taken out. A hospital is for the people of Iloilo City who cannot afford private medical care. Para ini sa mga pigado ma-object ka pa?”
Treñas said he has been supportive of AAMBIS-OWWA, and the city government even helped the 1st District turf of the Garins in the vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
GARIN: ‘I DON’T OBJECT’
The lady solon denied opposing House Bill No. 10464.
“I don’t object to the establishment of Iloilo City Hospital. The more hospitals, the better. This is especially important for me and my family since my father was a victim of COVID,” Garin stressed.
In fact, she voted for the approval of the bill on second reading, according to Garin.
“For third reading it will be voted upon by each congressman. It should be voted in the affirmative by at least 150 of the 300 congressmen. I wish Congresswoman Baronda good luck in getting enough votes. Rest assured, she has my support for the good of Iloilo. We really do need more hospitals for Iloilo city and province,” Garin said.
Last night, Baronda confirmed she had a “close door” meeting with Garin and “all is well.”
Baronda said both camps already discussed the matter.
THE BILL
The proposed Iloilo City Hospital will be a tertiary general hospital under the direct control and supervision of the city government.
House Bill No. 10464 tasks the city government to prepare, in consultation with the Department of Health, a hospital development plan aligned with the Philippine Health Facility Development Plan.
“Any future increase in bed capacity, healthcare facilities, service capability, and human resource complement shall be based on the hospital development plan,” it added.
The bill further provides that the city government of Iloilo shall provide the necessary funds for the hospital’s creation.
Meantime, it added that the secretary of Health shall include in the Department’s subsidy program the support for the capital outlay requirements of the Iloilo City Hospital./PN
