(Screenshot from DOLE virtual presser)
MANILA – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is looking to have a soft opening of the country's first overseas Filipino worker (OFW) hospital in San Fernando, Pampanga in October.
“The estimate of the contractor is by 1st quarter or 2nd quarter of next year. But we’re working to have soft opening by October 2021. I could see that it is possible considering they work 24/7,” Labor Undersecretary Renato Ebarle said in a virtual forum on Thursday.
He added that the hospital's equipment would "have to be in place" by the last quarter of the year.
At the same time, he said the facility is now 15.7 percent completed.
“As of May 6, the accomplishment is about 15.7 percent already. Way ahead of the schedule by 2.41 percent. Our contractor works fast,” Ebarle added.
Once completed, the hospital will have 293 medical personnel with the hiring process set to begin in the third quarter of this year.
The four-story facility is a 100-bed hospital intended for OFWs and their families.
He said the Department of Health (DOH) has categorized the OFW Hospital at level 2, with level 3 being the highest.
The property where the facility is located was donated by the provincial government of Pampanga.
Also involved in the project are the DOH, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor), and private company Bloomberry Cultural Foundation. (PNA)
