Taguig accuses Makati of ‘deceit and fraud’ in closing Embo health centers

NOTICE A huge tarpaulin is displayed near the gate of West Rembo Elementary School to announce Makati City’s ownership of the school compound. Department of Education (DepEd) has placed 14 public schools in Makati city, including this school, under the supervision of DepEd Taguig-Pateros Division. (INQUIRER file photo dated August 14, 2023/ RICHARD A. REYES)

MANILA, Philippines — The Makati city government was allegedly deceiving the public when it announced that health centers in “Embo” barangays had to be closed due to their expired license to operate.

The Taguig government issued the accusation in a post on Facebook on Wednesday.

“Isa itong panlilinlang at panloloko,” it said.

(This is deceit and fraud.)

“Hindi kailangan ng license to operate (LTO) ng mga health centers maliban na lamang kung ito ay isang registered primary care facility,” Taguig city LGU said in a post on Facebook.

(Health centers do not need a license to operate (LTO) unless it is a registered primary care facility.)

“Iisa lamang ang registered primary care facility sa EMBO, ang Pitogo Health Center, na may lisensyang 3 taon na may bisa pa,” the post pointed out.

(There is only one registered primary care facility in EMBO, which is the Pitogo Health Center, with a valid three-year license still in effect.)

According to Taguig LGU, Makati’s closure of health centers meant denying Embo residents in Taguig crucial health services.

“The truth is, it’s Makati’s scheme to deprive EMBO residents of the facilities and services of health centers and lying-in clinics in EMBO due to its twisted goal of pressuring Taguig after the Supreme Court declared their occupation of EMBO barangays illegal,” Taguig’s post stated in Filipino.

“In their decision to close health services to EMBO residents, Makati administration exposed its abusive treatment of EMBO citizens,” it said.

Taguig LGU explained the issue of the jurisdiction of health centers in Embo barangays should not be an obstacle to the orderly transfer of management of government health facilities.

This is because the parties have agreed that the ownership of facilities is a separate matter that should be filed in court, Taguig said.

“People’s lives and health should never be sacrificed just for personal political interests,” LGU’s post noted.

In September last year, Taguig LGU rejected a proposal by the Makati City government to establish a credit line that would enable EMBO residents to continue having access to Makati’s health centers and Ospital ng Makati.

Taguig said the proposal went against Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa’s directives to “exclude ownership issues from the transition process.”

Embo residents previously lost their Makati health card benefits due to the transition.

Meanwhile, in a separate post, Taguig LGU said it will temporarily provide free tele-consultations for Embo residents, which includes free medical check-ups, referrals, prescriptions, and laboratory requests.

INQUIRER.net has reached out to Makati city government for comment on Taguig’s statements but it has yet to respond on the matter.

Embo barangays refer to ten (10) communities whose jurisdiction was transferred to Taguig from Makati following a Supreme Court decision in 2021.