CEBU CITY -- Patients from Cebu Province who are not in an emergency situation will not be served at the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC). They will instead be sent to the governor's office.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña instructed CCMC management to transport all patients who are from the province to Capitol, except those needing emergency treatment.

For updates from around the country, follow Sun.Star on Twitter

Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia, Osmeña said, should be able to take care of her constituents "because they are very rich," referring to Capitol's assets reported by Garcia in her State of the Province Address.

Capitol consultant Rory Jon Sepulveda described Osmeña's order as "barbaric." He said it shows that "Osmeña is a politician bankrupt with ideas."

Garcia, on the other hand, said the Capitol is willing and can afford to help residents in need of medical attention.

More than willing

"While he's at it, why doesn't he include his constituents as well who are deprived of medical services because he also can't afford? We are more than willing to accept them for as long as they will register as constituents of the province," Garcia said.

Osmeña gave verbal instructions Thursday to provide CCMC a multicab that can be used to transport patients from the province who will seek medical treatment there.

"The Province says they give wonderful services, that's why right now, I have given instructions that we have assigned transportation in CCMC so ang mga taga probinsya gyud, they will be delivered to the governor's office. We're starting to do that now," he told reporters.

When told of Osmeña's instruction, Garcia quickly offered to lend Cebu City an ambulance.

"Multicab? Is that all Tomas can afford? Kaluoy sad! I can lend him an ambulance," the governor said.

The mayor said Garcia keeps bragging that the province is rich but her constituents still make up 30 percent of the admissions at CCMC.

"They refuse to assume the responsibility for their own constituents who come to the city for treatment, so the patients go to a national hospital, Vicente Sotto, or CCMC," he said.

CCMC's emergency room staff said that as of Thursday afternoon, there were no patients from the province yet who had to be driven to Capitol.

Osmeña stressed that CCMC will not turn down any patient from the province if they are in an emergency situation.

Held responsible

Sepulveda, however, said those who will be denied medical attention for "purely idiotic reasons" have recourses under the law. He said those who will be brought to Governor Garcia's office will be referred to the nearest medical facility, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).

"Rest assured however in such eventuality, the persons denied medical attention can expect human care and attention from the province and other ethical medical professionals...Tomas will, however, be held responsible for any and all adverse effects to the patient due to the initial denial.

As to the province, we will continue with our own programs and at the same time, address the rantings and actions of a sick man," Sepulveda said.

But unlike the residents of other towns and cities that are under Capitol, Cordova's constituents can count themselves lucky because starting soon, they can avail themselves of free medical services at CCMC. This will be part of the Cebu City-Cordova "Big Brother" program.

Cordova's senior citizens will also be adopted by the City and will receive the P2,000 financial aid that City Hall is giving to the elderly.

He said this will show people in the province how poor Capitol really is.

He said he will start to make arrangements for patients from Cordova to be accommodated at CCMC, because the municipality does not have its own hospital and is one of the poorest towns.

Osmeña said his assistance to Cordova is part of the Big Brother program, and is not his way of "buying" Cordova, a municipality in Mactan Island that he wants to be a part of Cebu City.

"This is not buying them, but to show them that we're always here for them. If they don't want to be part of Cebu City, fine. But I also want them to taste the benefits of what it's like to be part of Cebu City," he said. (LCR/RSA/Sun.Star Cebu)