By Freddie Velez
MALOLOS, Bulacan -- The provincial government last Thursday conducted ground-breaking rites for the extension of the Bulacan Medical Center (BMC) to answer to the increasing number of residents who need medical and healthcare.
Department of Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III together with Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado and Vice Governor Daniel R. Fernando lay the capsule with the blueprint of the 200-bed capacity Bulacan Medical Center extension building during its groundbreaking ceremony held at BMC Compound, City of Malolos, Bulacan last Thursday. Also in the photo are BMC Chief of Hospital Dr. Protacio Bajao, Provincial Health Office-Public Health Head Dr. Jocelyn Gomez, and BMC Chaplain Rev. Fr. Ricardo Moraga. (Freddie C. Velez / MANILA BULLETIN)
Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III, along with Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado and Vice Gov. Daniel R. Fernando, led the capsule laying and groundbreaking ceremonies of the three-storey BMC extension with a 5,817 square meters floor area to be built and designed by Nation Star Development Corporation. The extension will be a 200-bed capacity to add to the medical center's space to accommodate more patients.
Alvarado said that the additional building of BMC is the answer to the increasing number of Bulakenyos who need quality yet affordable medical services and explained that the present 300-bed capacity of BMC is no longer enough to cater the underprivileged Bulakenyos.
Duque commended the provincial governor his efforts in giving thrust to health programs and added that public servants should imitate the governor by giving value to health.
“Ang mamamayan ng inyong lalawigan ay napakapalad dahil nakikita natin na malalim po sa kanyang puso at kaisipan ang kalusugan ng kanyang mamamayan. Napakahalaga po ng extension hospital na ito dahil kanina, ibinulong sa akin ni gobernador na punung-puno na ang inyong medical center sa kasalukuyan at kinakailangan na mapalawig ang kanyang kakayahang makapagbigay ng mataas na antas ng serbisyong pangkalusugan mula po sa ating ospital (You are lucky to have a governor with a heart for the health and wellbeing of his constituents. The hospital improvement is very important because the governor whispered to me thatit is always filled to capacity and he wants to provide more quality healthcare),” Duque said.
The provincial government will also upgrade the district hospitals such as the Plaridel Extension Hospital Infirmary will soon be operational and the construction of the Ospital ng Pandi and the district hospitals of Obando and Angat.
The health secretary also vowed to find ways to provide for the aid requested by the provincial government to help deliver services of BMC and the Public Health Office to more than three million Bulakenyos. He also called on the public to help protect the health insurance fund of PhilHealth Insurance by monitoring fraud or false claims as well as policing crooked professional medical practitioners.
Duque, Alvarado, and Fernando also recognized the blood donors, calling them "life savers" during the Blood Galloners awarding ceremony.
Echoing the theme, “Be there for someone else. Save life. Give blood”, Duque acknowledged the invaluable contributions of blood donors and the importance of giving blood to save lives. “We are grateful to our blood donors for their voluntary and sincere effort to be of help to those in need. You truly are heroes in the lives of your recipients. Let us continue to imbibe the spirit of bayanihan and be instrumental in saving more lives through blood donation,” he said.
He also commended the Bulacan Provincial Blood Center for its 24/7 operation and its capability to supply clean and safe blood for the Bulakenyos.
The provincial government and the Bulacan Blood Council also recognized the Top 3 Provincial Voluntary Blood Donation Program Achievers namely, Plaridel through Mayor Jocel Aimee Vistan-Casaje, San Ildefonso through Mayor Carla G. Tan and the City of San Jose del Monte through Mayor Arturo Robes. These three awardees were also awarded as Blood Partner Awardees by the Province of Bulacan.
For the Top 3 Local Government Units with High Numbers of Mobile Blood Donation conducted by Bulacan Provincial Blood Center, the municipalities of Plaridel and Marilao and the City of San Jose del Monte were recognized. Also awarded were the Vice Governor’s Office and Damayang Filipino Foundation, Holy Spirit Academy of Malolos and Municipality of Santa Maria as the Top 3 Largest Blood Donation in a Single Collection while Bulacan State University, Ang Dating Daan-Bulacan and Fisher Farm were recognized as the Top 3 Partners with High Numbers of MBD conducted.
Some 156 Blood Galloners were acknowledged for having donated blood for nine to 10 times and 11 bronze blood awardees who have voluntarily donated blood for 25 times already.
Florencia Pahati, a bronze blood awardee, said donating blood can save lives.“Alam ko na sa bawat dugo na ibinahagi ko, may buhay akong nailigtas, kaya hanggang kayo ko, hanggang pwede ako, magdo-donate ako (I know that donating blood can save lives, so for as long as I can, I will continue donating blood),”