LIGAO CITY––A plant that produces oxygen tanks will be constructed inside the Sorsogon Provincial Hospital compound in Sorsogon City.
The provincial government will finance the first state-owned oxygen plant through a loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines.
“The P94.5-million worth of oxygen plant will greatly contribute to improve the healthcare system of the province and boost Sorsogon’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” Gov. Francis Escudero said Tuesday in a statement.
He said the oxygen plant would boost the supply of medical oxygen in nine Sorsogon public hospitals. It may also benefit other provinces in the Bicol region.
Targeted for completion in early 2022, the oxygen plant is part of the local government’s response to the country’s worsening coronavirus situation and the rising demand for oxygen as infections continue to spike, Escudero’s statement said.
Once operational, oxygen tank refilling would be cheaper at P157 per tank from the current P490. It will also provide additional oxygen supply for the province that has been relying on one supplier in Camarines Sur.