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First-ever general hospital in Davao Occidental opens

By Che Palicte

March 16, 2022, 12:36 pm

<p><strong>PUBLIC HOSPITAL.</strong> The province of Davao Occidental opens its first general hospital on Tuesday (March 16, 2022) in Malita town. The 100-bed capacity hospital seeks to amplify the effectiveness of the province’s health system by providing continuous delivery of medical services for local patients and those from neighboring provinces, officials say. <em>(PNA photo by Che Palicte)</em></p>

PUBLIC HOSPITAL. The province of Davao Occidental opens its first general hospital on Tuesday (March 16, 2022) in Malita town. The 100-bed capacity hospital seeks to amplify the effectiveness of the province’s health system by providing continuous delivery of medical services for local patients and those from neighboring provinces, officials say. (PNA photo by Che Palicte)

DAVAO CITY – Davao Occidental's first-ever public hospital located in Barangay Lacaron of Malita town opened on Tuesday afternoon.

In an interview, Davao Occidental Rep. Lorna Bautista-Bandigan said the establishment of the Davao Occidental General Hospital has been their dream for the province.

Bandigan, who is the author of the counterpart House of Representatives Bill 7321, said the medical facility seeks to amplify the effectiveness of the province’s health system by providing continuous delivery of medical services for acute and complex medical conditions to patients.

“When I proposed the bill, I did not expect that it would eventually get their nod. Because of our desire, the establishment came with the help of Senator Christopher Lawrence Go,” she told the Philippine News Agency during the hospital’s launching.

She also recounted that when it was passed in the Senate, President Rodrigo Duterte also signed the bill without questions.

According to Bandingan, the 100-bed capacity hospital will be a state-of-the-art facility that will also cater to patients from neighboring municipalities and provinces.

“This is like the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City. Instead of going to Davao City, which is very far, they can bring their patients here,” she said, adding that the people of Davao Occidental would no longer travel 201 kilometers to reach Davao City’s public hospital.

With a budget of PHP100 million, she said an additional PHP219 million was also allotted for the construction of another building.

“We will also make a rehabilitation center. I am aiming to make it a state-of-the-art hospital like the global hospital in Pasig,” Bandingan said.

The hospital has a total of 149 personnel who passed the requirements of Notice of Organization, Staffing, and Compensation Action (NOSCA).

Meanwhile, Go, who graced the event, also witnessed the turnover of the PHP80 million check from the Office of the President for the procurement of medical equipment and other development projects of the newly-opened facility.

“I am happy that aside from being the sponsor of the bill, we made the establishment possible. I understand the plight of the residents here. It is so hard to travel far to get medication,” Go said in an interview.

He said the newly-opened hospital would add up to the existing public hospitals in Davao Region -- SPMC in Davao City, Davao Regional Medical Center in Davao del Norte, and Davao Occidental.

Valentino Domoso, a resident of Barangay Lacaron, thanked the government for building a hospital in their province.

“As you all know, we are very poor and access to the hospital is impossible for us. But with this, I am happy that we will be able to get the medical intervention that we need as they assured us that it will be for free,” he said. (PNA)

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