South Luzon hospitals to get P1-B upgrade

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang is releasing an additional P1.01 billion for the upgrade of health facilities and hospitals in the Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Bicol regions.

Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad said in a statement the funds will benefit rural health units, including the cost of building the infrastructure and purchasing the equipment that these facilities need.

Of the total amount, P611.86 million will go to Mimaropa or Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan—P469.79 million for infrastructure and P142.07 million for equipment.

Bicol, which groups Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate and Catanduanes, will get P304.01 million, with P186.67 million for infrastructure and P117.34 million for equipment.

Calabarzon, consisting of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon, will get P98.64 million, with P72.64 million for infrastructure and P26 million for equipment.

This latest disbursement brings to P6.78 billion the total of funds given to the Department of Health for such purposes, with the budget department having previously released P4.57 billion.

Abad said P360.9 million remains to be released for the DOH’s health facilities enhancement program.

He said funding to upgrade health services benefiting the poor and marginalized sectors is part of the government’s commitment to fulfill the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) to improve maternal health and reduce children mortality rates.