THE groundbreaking rites of the P70-million Medical Arts Building of the Bacolod Adventist Medical Center (BAMC) donated by lawyer Simplicio Palanca, chairman of the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corporation (Bredco), was held on April 12.
Palanca led the ceremony, along with Bredco officials John Alonte, president, and directors Willy Au and David Palanca.
Also present were Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia and BAMC officials led by president Hector Gayares.
Alonte said it has been Palanca's dream to contribute to the community that he lives in and that building a hospital facility that contributes to the service has been on in his mind.
“For the past 15 years, he has been toying the idea of building a hospital...but it was not realized. Fortunately or unfortunately, he was hospitalized here, sometime in October last year. While he was committed here, he was given distinguished medical services and when I mentioned the idea of establishing a Medical Arts Building here for the first time, I saw the glow in his eyes. So I said it’s part of God's plan,” Alonte said.
Gayares, for his part, said the construction of the six-storey Simplicio Palanca Medical Arts Building will start in May this year and its completion and turnover will be in March 12, during the 96th birthday of Palanca.
The building will house 56 doctor's clinics, a pharmacy and physical therapy service.
This will be a legacy of Palanca, being the generous donor, Gayares said.
He also said that the consent letter that he supports the project was signed by Palanca on his 95th birthday on March 12.
“It has been our prayers. There are about 40 doctors for our medical clinic which we cannot provide anymore because our space is already fully occupied in the East Wing. It is part of the hospital's master plan that we will have the Medical Arts Building but we do not have the money because the West Wing Building is a loan which we are still paying. We did not stop praying and looking for ways where we can the realization of the Medical Arts Building would be in 2020 when our loan would be fully paid,” he said.
“We believe that this is an institution guided by God. God has His own plan and he granted us this wish that instead of having this in 2020, we already have this building in 2018 through the donation of Atty. Palanca,” he added.