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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider Heartfelt

Heartfelt

Published Feb 21, 2025 04:04 pm

MEDIUM RARE

Jullie Y. Daza

In the month of hearts, congratulations to the Philippine Heart Center for Asia!


The last time I had a chance to speak with Imelda R. Marcos, I thanked her for the Heart Center which, with the Cultural Center of the Philippines, may be said to be her outstanding achievements of the 1970’s, when she was first lady.


During the 21 years of Ferdinand E. Marcos’ presidency, Mrs. Marcos’ projects included “Bliss” housing projects, an out-of-town arts center for training young artists, plus a Kidney Institute, a Lung Center, a Children’s Medical Center.


The Heart Center happens to be our neighbor, younger than our house by 10 years, and not only is it convenient for us to visit the occasional patient there, the hospital is the only reason we don’t suffer the now-and-then inconvenience of an electrical or water service interruption. We are in a hospital zone, after all; it helps that East Avenue Medical Center is just a stone’s throw from Heart Center.


Being in such close proximity to two big hospitals, our street has become a parking lot of sorts; plus, three minutes away, there’s V. Luna hospital for the military.   


My cousin was recently confined at Heart Center for one day, and she had no complaints except that there were just too many patients, which meant she could not have a room until many hours after she was checked in. On the other hand, my son has had nothing but praises for the Heart Center’s “young and competent” medical staff after he underwent certain procedures there.


Dr. Avenilo L. Aventura Jr. is the hospital’s executive director. Fifty years ago, 1975, and up to 1986, his father, Dr. Avenilo P. Aventura Sr., was the first executive director. Last Feb. 16, two days after Valentine’s Day, Dr. Aventura Jr. invited me to Manila Hotel for a golden anniversary dinner which I skipped because we had a family event of our own.


Philippine Heart Center for Asia has served and continues to serve all kinds of patients, not only cardiac cases, and not only because being a government hospital its rates may be trusted to be lower than those charged by private hospitals. As the joke goes, the bill won’t give you a heart attack. 

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