HOUSE Speaker Prospero Nograles turned over P39.5 million to the Mindanao Heart Center as part of his P104.5-million Congressional Medical Assistance Program.

He also ordered the release of additional P16 million for the Davao Medical Center (DMC).

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In a statement e-mailed by Nograles' office to Sun.Star Davao, it said the Speaker does not want to run out of funds for much needed health services, especially in light of the influenza A (H1N1) outbreak and the global financial crisis.

"The Speaker sourced the funds for this much needed world-class heart diagnostic and treatment center for Mindanao so that no Mindanaoan would need to fly to Manila for specialty heart care," said the Speaker's chief of staff and son Karlo Nograles.

The young Nograles also announced plans of purchasing a brand-new MRI machine, as well as establishing a women and child center for the DMC.

The Speaker is also working at expanding the DMC into a 1,200 bed capacity hospital and renaming it the Southern Philippines Medical Center and appropriating the necessary funds thereof.

Plans are also underway for the construction of new buildings for the Davao Mental Hospital.

"The Speaker has earmarked a total of P 104.5 million for these new projects as part of his commitment to ensuring proper medical and health care for the people of not just Davao City, but also for the whole Mindanao," said the young Nograles.

Since 2001, Speaker Nograles, through his flagship Oplan Kalusugan, has appropriated P70 million for the Congressional Medical Assistance Program that has provided free medicines and hospital expenses to more than 50,000 beneficiaries so far.

The first congressional district office, through the initiative of the young Nograles, has also sponsored more than 12,000 free PhilHealh cards for indigent constituents.