BACOLOD CITY – The municipality of La Castellana in Negros Occidental will soon have its own public hospital.
Mayor Rhumyla Nicor-Manguilimutan, Department of Health (DOH)-Western Visayas Director Dr. Adriano Suba-an, Negros Occidental Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo, and Uswag Ilonggo party-list Rep. James Ang Jr. led the groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday, April 1, for the P40-million medical facility.
The local government has allotted an initial P30 million while Yulo and Ang have pledged P5 million each for the construction of the 30-bed hospital.
The hospital is being built on a 2,500-square meter lot on the Circumferential Road in Barangay Robles donated by the Jalsor Real Estate Development Corp. of the Jalandoni family.
Mangilmutan said that the hospital will greatly benefit the people of La Castellana as it will bring health services closer to them.
Residents needing immediate medical care have to travel to hospitals here or in other localities.
She said that once the hospital begins to operate, it will also accommodate patients in nearby areas.
People from geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) in La Castellana will be the priority of the hospital.
Suba-an said that 10 of the 13 barangays in the town, which is a first-class municipality, are considered GIDAs.
“It means that you're a priority of the DOH," Suba-an added.
GIDAs are places with limited delivery of and or access to basic health services as well as limited access to and utilization of health services.