The Taguig City government criticized the closure of health centers located in EMBO (enlisted men’s barrio) barangays.
Ten EMBO barangays are now part of Taguig after the Supreme Court issued a decision last year, transferring its ownership from Makati.
Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano (Photo from Mayor Cayetano's Facebook account)
The 10 barangays transferred to Taguig are Cembo, Comembo, East Rembo, Pembo, Pitogo, Post Proper Northside, Post Proper Southside, Rizal, South Cembo and West Rembo.
However, the Taguig City government was caught off guard when the Makati City government announced that based on the Supreme Court decision, starting Jan. 1, the yellow cards issued to residents of the 10 EMBO barangays are no longer valid.
In addition, all health centers and lying-in in the EMBO areas are now closed as the license to operate for the facilities has expired.
The Taguig City government said if the Makati City government really wanted to continue providing services, it could have decided to continue operating the eight health centers in EMBO barangays.
It claimed that the true reason why the Makati City government decided to close the EMBO health centers was that the Taguig City government refused to give them the ownership of the facilities and the lands where they are located.
“Ang posisyon ng Taguig, na kinakatigan ng Kagawaran ng Kalusugan(DOH), ay isantabi ang usapín sa pagmamay-ari (at gawing hiwalay na isyu na idudulog sa mga korte) at ilipat na ang pamamahala ng health centers sa Taguig (The position of Taguig, which the Department of Health agreed to, is to set aside the issue of ownership (and to make it a separate issue that will be brought to courts) at transfer the supervision of the health centers to Taguig),” the Taguig City government said in a statement on Jan. 4.
The Taguig City government scrambled to provide health services to EMBO residents with the closure of the health centers.
It said EMBO residents can go to the Taguig Pateros District Hospital (TPDH), 31 health centers, seven primary care facilities, and three super health centers, Dialysis Center, five Animal Bite Treatment Center, three main laboratories, and 29 community-based laboratories of Taguig.
EMBO residents can also avail of teleconsultation by calling 10 hotline numbers in every barangay. A satellite pharmacy will be opened in East Rembo.
The Taguig City government will also hold medical missions in EMBO barangays every Saturday.