Ako-Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co (Facebook)

A landmark of not just Bicolandia, but the entire Philippines. 

That's how Ako-Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co described the so-called "legacy building" of the Bicol Regional Hospital and Medical Center (BRHMC), which is seen to rise soon in Legazpi City, Albay. 

Co, chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, witnessed on Friday, June 7 the groundbreaking for the BRHMC, which House Speaker Martin Romualdez led. The event also saw a capsule laying for the 20-story integrated specialty care and wellness center hub. 

Co underscored the facility’s future role as a comprehensive care center featuring specialized departments for heart, lung, and cancer treatments, which would eliminate the need for Bicolanos to travel to Manila. 

“This is not just a building; it’s a landmark for our region and our country,” Co said in his speech. 

He highlighted House leader Romualdez's pivotal support on this and other projects in the Bicol region. 

Apart from infrastructure development, Co shared some good news to Bicol’s medical personnel. 

“Matatanggap na ng mga nagtrabaho sa ospital habang may pandemic ang kanilang allowance dahil nabigyan natin ito ng allotment (Those who worked at hospitals during the pandemic will receive their allowance because we made an allotment for this), he said. 

Other local projects that received backing from House Speaker were the improvement of electric supply, the construction of evacuation centers for the disaster-prone region, and construction of the Haven Legacy, a sanctuary for abandoned elderly and abused women and children.