• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The city government aims to open the ground and second floors of the Bacolod General Hospital (BGH) in Barangay Vista Alegre by 2028.
Mayor Greg Gasataya said July 30 that P700 million of the current P930-million funding has been implemented, so far, covering 42.27 percent of the project’s overall scope.
“What the DOH proposed, based on a discussion with Senator Migz (Zubiri) about a year ago, is to finish the exterior first and then complete it floor by floor so that the public can use it immediately,” Gasataya said.
“That is why they are targeting now to finish the whole exterior, the first floor, and the second floor—that was the recommendation by DOH so the public can already utilize it,” he added.
The entire project in the city’s four-hectare property in the barangay has a budget of at least P2.2 billion, under a multi-year arrangement with concerned national government agencies, including the Department of Health and the Department of Public Works and Highway (DPWH), he said.
The DPWH Region 6 already finished Phase 1 of the project, worth P200 million, and has reached 98.3 percent completion for Phase 2, also with an allocation of P200 million, as of June 2026.
Phase 1 of interior works, meanwhile, was completed in April 2026, worth P250 million, and jointly implemented by the DOH and City Engineer’s Office (CEO), alongside ongoing masonry, electrical, and plumbing works, with an additional P50-million allocation.
Currently up for bidding is a combined P130-million program of work (POW) under the DPWH, including the P100 million secured through Zubiri, while an additional P100 million Phase 3 allocation from the DOH/CEO is undergoing MOA finalization and POW preparation.
“I messaged him (Zubiri) Tuesday night clarifying that during our meetings over the past few months with the DPWH, DOH, LGU, together with the city engineer, the direction was clear that the budget proposed by Senator Zubiri to be implemented by the DPWH will be used to complete the hospital; at least it is clear now that it will not be used for other purposes, like medical equipment, because we are not yet at that stage,” Gasataya said. | TMD
