President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said his administration is looking at establishing “extensions” for existing hospitals to add more specialized healthcare services and extend medical aid to more Filipinos, especially in the provinces.
President Marcos made the remark in a chance interview in Bulacan, where he led the groundbreaking of Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) housing projects.
“Yung mga ospital, imbes na magtatayo ng… kasi isa sa sinabi ko sa SONA (State of the Nation Address), ‘yung unang SONA ko ay ‘yung specialty hospitals. Nakita natin noong pandemic gaano kaimportante… ang role na ginampanan ng ating mga frontliners but siyempre ‘yung mga ospital, facilities,” the President said in an interview.
“So sabi ko, dapat mayroon hindi lang sa Maynila. Ang napagkasunduan namin, ay imbes na magtayo ng bago pang ospital ay mag-extension na lang ‘yung mga ibang ospital para mayroong specialty na ilang kama para talaga as a specialty hospital,” the chief executive added.
The government is now identifying areas in the country to add these “extensions” in healthcare facilities, said the President, taking into consideration the country’s experience in dealing with pandemic-induced healthcare sector challenges.
“Tinitingnan natin kung ano ‘yung naging karanasan natin noong pandemic, saan sila nahirapan at saan sila malayo masyado ‘yung pasyente kailangang dalhin at doon natin ilalagay, doon sa mga lugar na ‘yun,” the President said.
“Those places that have… halimbawa, mahina ang localized healthcare, eh doon natin para matulungan ‘yung mga magkakasakit. Whatever it is. The hospital that we just inaugurated is also a specialty hospital because it is really for women and children. So another one of the biggest conditions that we have to deal with is pregnancy,” the President pointed out.
President Marcos, who earlier led the groundbreaking ceremony of the St. Bernadette Children and Maternity Hospital in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, underscored the need to enhance public-private partnerships in the health care sector to improve Filipinos’ access to quality health services.
One of the priorities of his administration, Marcos said, is providing healthcare and affordable health services to every Filipino, stressing, however, that to attain that, he needs the cooperation of the people, the government and the private sector.#
