PUERTO PRINCESA CITY –– Four molecular laboratories were being sought by the provincial government of Palawan as it intends to veer away from its dependency on the testing centers in Manila for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) treatment.
“We don’t have a timeframe, but we already finished the groundbreaking in Rescue Center. We will be taking over (around) 500 hectares in Barangay Irawan,” said Palawan governor Jose Alvarez.
Some P122 million were already drawn from the local government’s funds targeted to purchase medical equipment, medicines, and other supplies.
A 400-bed hospital facility in Puerto Princesa, which was first introduced by third district representative Gil Acosta Jr., was also being fast-tracked for better patient handling.
There are ten municipal health facilities spread throughout the province, which Alvarez hoped to add three more by 2020.
“We will be equipped. We will soon have hospital services in El Nido, San Vicente, and hopefully, Quezon will be operational,” he added.