Bacolod ground breaks Heart, Lung and Kidney Center

ANOTHER milestone project of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo -- the Bacolod Heart, Lung and Kidney Center held its ground breaking and time capsule laying recently led by Department of Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral.

“This is one project that President Arroyo can be proud of. There are many things that the administration is criticized for but one of the many things I can vouch for is the President’s concern and interest in improving and promoting the health of all Filipinos,” Cabral said in her message.

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Cabral added that the two most important things for development is health and education – without which, the country cannot hope to improve, develop and become a progressive, peaceful and prosperous nation that it so deserves.

HLK is a six-storey building which will sit within the compounds of Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital and is the first and only center of its kind outside of Metro Manila.

The center will house several departments like Imaging Department with the following services to include general radiology, radiology/fluoroscopy, CT Scan, Ultra Sound, Mammography; Catheterization Department, Laboratory, OR Complex and ICU/CCU.

Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Gov. Isidro Zayco thanked President Arroyo and Congressman Monico Puentevella for his initiative for the construction of the center which will not only benefit people of Bacolod but the entire province as well.

Puentevella who lobbied for the project said the initial budget for the first three floors including some equipment is P168 million.

“This (HLK center) will be a part of medical tourism. People from neighboring Cebu, Panay even Mindanao need not go to Manila to avail of affordable services this center will offer but can go to Bacolod once this center is operational,” Puentevella said.

Puentevella added that there is a lot to thank President Arroyo because instead of giving the project to Iloilo City, Bacolod and Negros Occidental will have one now.

The project, which will start construction, is expected to be finished within four months for the first three floors. The budget for the first three floors and some equipment is already in place.

The proposal for the rehabilitation and upgrade of the Bacolod Medical Center is an extension program of DOH to CLMMRH and as a milestone project of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the people of Bacolod and Western Visayas.

The health facility has a total budget of P168 million for the first phase that will compose of the third floor.

Marivic Banal of the Medikotek said they have 10-12 months to complete the constructions of the facility. Medikotek is responsible of the master development plan of Bacolod Hearth, Lung and Kidney Center.