PILAR, Capiz — Distance is crucial for emergency patients, as such, seconds and minutes matter most for them to get into the nearest hospital pronto for immediate medical attention.
But what if the nearest hospital is 51 kilometers away?
Such is the predicament of town mayor Arnold “Dodoy” Perez here although, he won a second term in the recent elections.
“Mahirap para po sa amin ang distansya. The nearest hospital for us and our constituents is 51 kilometers away. That is Roxas City where the only airport in the province (Capiz) is also located,” enthused Perez during an exclusive interview.
“Kawawa po talaga ang aming mga kababayan na may karamdaman emergency man o hindi dahil sa distansya. Imagine, they have to travel and suffer the pain for at least two (2) hours bago po sila malapatan ng tamang medical attention,” Perez added. “Isa pa po, sobrang mahal ngayon ang diesel o gasolina.”
“Paano na po kung patawirin na po talaga ang kalagayan ng pasyente? Although this time, we have high hopes na finally, may awa ang Diyos, magkaroon din sana kami ng sarili naming ospital before 2025 comes around.”
But Perez, who was given a fresh new three-year mandate in the last elections by constituents, has high hopes of realizing their dream of finally acquiring at least a 100-bed capacity municipal hospital of their own most especially Senator Bong Go, who also belongs to the same political party PDP-Laban as him, retained the health committee chairmanship.
“Sana po matulungan kami ni Sen. Bong Go,” Perez said.
As the pandemic opened the need for new health facilities, Sen. Go endeavored to provide new and improved health facilities.
It may be recalled that only recently Sen. Go sponsored at least 30 hospital-related bills that were subsequently approved by the Philippine Senate on the third and final reading.
Local hospital measures approved by the Senate include bills increasing the bed capacity of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center in Baguio City; Ospital ng Palawan in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum City, Davao del Norte; Gov. Faustino N. Dy, Sr. Memorial Hospital in Ilagan City, Isabela; Concepcion District Hospital in Concepcion, Tarlac; Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City, Negros Occidental; Unayan Municipal Hospital in Binidayan, Lanao del Sur; Balindong District Hospital in Wato-Balindong, Lanao del Sur; Eastern Pangasinan District Hospital in Tayug, Pangasinan; Laurel Memorial District Hospital in Tanauan City, Batangas; Ilocos Sur District Hospital in Magsingal, Ilocos Sur; Mangatarem District Hospital in Mangatarem, Pangasinan; Congressman Natalio O. Castillo, Sr. Memorial Hospital in Loon, Bohol; Roxas District Hospital in Roxas, Oriental Mindoro; Dr. Serapio B. Montaner, Jr. Memorial Hospital in Malabang, Lanao del Sur; Martin Marasigan Memorial Hospital in Cuenca, Batangas; and Lingayen District Hospital in Lingayen, Pangasinan.
Bills converting the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Tagbilaran City, Bohol to the Governor Celestino Gallares Multi-Specialty Medical Complex; and the Oriental Mindoro Central District Hospital in Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro into a provincial hospital also hurdled the third and final reading in the Senate.
The Senate also approved bills upgrading the Lipa City District Hospital in Lipa City, Batangas into a Level II Hospital; Orani District Hospital in Orani, Bataan into a Level II General Hospital to be known as the Antonino “Tony” P. Roman Memorial Hospital; and the Novaliches District Hospital in Quezon City into a Level II Hospital.
Other bills approved include measures establishing more and improved government hospitals, such as the Ospital ng Meycauayan in Meycauayan City, Bulacan; Iloilo City Hospital in Iloilo City; Liloan Children’s Hospital in Liloan, Cebu; Aklan Geriatric Medical Center in Kalibo, Aklan; Isaac Tolentino Memorial Medical Center in Tagaytay City, Cavite; Panabo City District Hospital in Panabo City, Davao del Norte; Lamidan Community Hospital in Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental; and the Nuing Community Hospital in Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental.
Since his election in 2019, the former Special Assistant to the President appointee has so far sponsored 39 laws aimed at upgrading existing government hospitals and establishing new ones.
Pilar, officially the Municipality of Pilar is a third-class municipality in the province of Capiz, Philippines.
According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 47,100 people.
Pilar is 51 kilometers (32 miles) away from Roxas City to be exact. (I.Ogima/mtvn)
