The Senate approved on second reading Senate Bill 1647, authored by Sen. Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, establishing the Bacolod General Hospital, with a budget allocation of P600 million.
The Bacolod General Hospital is a step closer to reality, said Rep. Greg Gasataya, who authored House Bill No. 6731, that the Lower Chamber had approved earlier.
The counterpart bill of Zubiri was approved on second reading on May 26, and the budget will be included in the 2022 General Appropriations Act, under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program of the Department of Health.
Gasataya said he understands the need for better public healthcare because of his own experience of having a family member in a hospital and looking for finances and medicines. This is why the healthcare and medical assistance is his priority in Congress, he added.
He added that in the 17th Congress, Republic Act No. 11441, that increases the bed capacity of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital from 400 to 1,000, was enacted into law from his proposed bill.
This law helps to decongest the local healthcare system since the CLMMRH also had an increase in its budget.
“To further strengthen this effort, to provide quality and affordable healthcare for Bacolodnons, and in hopes that even future generations of Bacolodnons, as our city grows, will always have someone to turn to in times of illness, we filed HB 6731 in the 18th Congress establishing the Bacolod City General Hospital,” Gasataya said.
The budget allocation was supported by Senate President Vicente Sotto, Senate Majority Leader Zubiri, Senate Committee on Health chairman Christopher Go, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Health Secretary Francisco Duque, and House Committee on Health chairwoman Rep. Angelina Tan, with support legislation from the Bacolod City LGU. — MML
for Bacolod hospital
