The Guimaras Provincial Government has broken ground for its P167-million four-storey Dr. Catalino Gallego Nava Provincial Hospital (DCGNPH) outpatient care center.
The state-of-the-art facility in Barangay San Miguel, Jordan town will house the primary care facility (pharmacy, radiology, and minor surgery), dialysis station, ambulatory surgical clinic, physical therapy and rehab, among others.
The groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 23, was attended by Governor JC Rahman A. Nava, Vice Governor John Edward Gando, Department of Health (DOH-6) Regional Director Dr. Anabelle Yumang.
Nava is delighted that the project, which aims to “enhance medical services and improve patient care efficiency,” has finally gotten off the ground after a tedious process.
“Ang handum naton nga mahagan-hagan ang referrals sa probinsiya kag siyudad sang Iloilo. Amo ni ang aton nga rason kun nga-a nga ginatinguhaan ta gid nga ma-improbar ang aton nga health care services sa aton probinsiya,” he said.
“We really want to deliver the best possible health care for our constituency and it will not only mean the infrastructure and equipment. I know it should be mainly through the right personnel that we should have diri sa aton hospital,” the governor further said.
The project, funded by DOH (P90 million), Senator Pia Cayetano (P20 million), and the provincial government (P57 million), is targeted for completion by the first semester of 2026.
Meanwhile, Yumang lauded Nava and other Guimaras officials for their efforts to make quality healthcare services more accessible for residents of the island province.
“I’m so happy that this hospital will be expanded soon to a Level II hospital because the distance of this province to the mainland is about 20 minutes of travel by boat,” she said.
“So, 20 minutes in healthcare is very long. Matagal na po yung 20 minutes especially if a patient is very critical.
Also present at the groundbreaking ceremony were Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-Guimaras) District Engineer Randolfo Melosantos, board members, municipal mayors, DCGNPH personnel headed by chief of hospital Dr. Allain Babao, and department heads of the provincial Government.IMT
