No more problems in north hospital

The Provincial Engineering Office (PEO) assured that all problems raised last week on the Northern Palawan Provincial Hospital in Taytay were already addressed.

Board Member Gil Acosta questioned on June 8 the status of the hospital weeks after its inauguration. He specifically pointed that the gravels stacked in the building’s entrance and the portion of the pavement which was already raised from the ground.

The hospital was funded with a portion of the province’s share from the Malampaya gas proceeds. The PEO clarified that, contrary to earlier reports that the construction of the hospital was worth P100 million, only P94 million was allotted to it: P80 million for the construction and P14 million for the equipment.

During the Provincial Board’s regular session June 15, the PEO said that the problems were already fixed but that they should immediately start the drainage system. BCT Construction, the project’s contractor, added that they had also worked to rectify the damages.

BCT Construction also insisted that the hospital was safe because most of the materials used were rock.

 “The problem now is only the drainage system. We will ask the local government unit of Taytay or the contractor to help us with the drainage system,” Engr. Colegio of the PEO said.

The Northern Palawan Provincial Hospital is located on a hilly area which would require a good drainage system especially that the rainy season had already started, according to the PEO.

Asked whether the hospital had secured an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the PEO said that it has none as of the moment.

“The release of the ECC was delayed because of what happened with Taytay-Rural Health Unit (RHU),” Colegio said referring to the landslide which occurred in Taytay last year that killed six health workers.

The PEO, however, informed the Provincial Board that the DENR had sent a composite team to inspect the hospital area. They also assured that what happened with the RHU will not happen with the hospital, pointing that the back of the hospital was composed of solid rocks.

The one-hectare land where the hospital was erected was originally owned by Taytay incoming mayor Evelyn Rodriguez. Rodriguez donated it to the Provincial Government so that a hospital could be placed in their municipality.

Dr. Eduardo Cruz, head of the Provincial Health Office, also informed the Board that the Northern Palawan Provincial Hospital would start its operation sometime in July.

“As soon as the documents are okay and the equipment were already transferred and delivered, it would start operating,” Dr. Cruz said.

“This hospital is bigger than the Southern Palawan Provincial Hospital in Brooke’s Point. It was constructed because we are targeting better medical service to the Palaweños,” he added.