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Saturday, August 23, 2003
Fate of prov'l hospital hangs on balance
By Tina Sales
THE Benguet Provincial Board (PB) is expected to finally vote on whether or not to convert the Benguet General Hospital (BEGH) into an economic enterprise on August 27.
This developed after the Board's Committee on Health, chaired by Vice Gov. Edna Tabanda, this week failed to muster enough support for the passage of a proposed ordinance which seeks to convert BEGH into an economic enterprise in a bid to raise additional revenue to hire new health personnel and to strengthen the health delivery system.
Board Member Wasing Sacla iterated doubts that the facility's conversion would result to more patients and more income, noting that from 1996 to 2002, there was a recorded drop in the number of patients being accommodated. He also questioned a provision in the proposed measure on the supposed annual subsidy of P40-million.
Board Member Danio Bolislis, on the other hand, also stressed his unfavorable view on the appointing power of politicians in hiring health personnel.
Board Member Sario Copas echoed Bolislis' sentiment, adding that the approval of the measure is tantamount to the non-inclusion of necessary provisions to limit political intervention in the management, administration and operation of the hospital.
Board Member Lizo Agpas, meanwhile, raised concerns as to whether or not the conversion of the hospital into an economic enterprise would also ensure the immediate operation of the facility from 100 to 200 bed-capacity and whether the conversion would change the status of employees from state workers into private employees, aside from the matter on appointing authority.
Gov. Raul Molintas, who was present during the deliberation, commented that before discussing the issue of organizational structure and on the appointing power, the board must first settle the issue on whether or not to approve the measure declaring the hospital an economic enterprise.
He also offered two types of organization structure - a provincial government corporation where the terms of reference and policy shall be ratified by the PB but administration and implementation shall be the responsibility of the board of directors and as a quasi-corporation where the BOD implements and sets the policies.
In both cases, the appointing power would still vested on the local executive, Molintas stressed.
Tabanda said the eventual approval of the measure would later on result to the operation of the hospital under a 200-bed capacity.
She added the measure aims to improve income generation capacity of the hospital, to hire more health workers and for purposes of better health delivery services.
But the board decided to defer voting on the measure and set August 27 as the final date to determine whether or not to finally approve the conversion of the BEGH into an economic enterprise.
In a related development, the Provincial Finance Committee has requested the board for additional appropriations for the maintenance and other operating expenditure of the hospital amounting to P1.677-million.
The committee is composed of Provincial Treasurer Mauricio Ambanloc with Budget Officer Nora Asion, Planning and Development Officer Alex Balangcod, Provincial Accountant Lucia Kim and Board Member Cresencio Pacalso as members.
If approved, the amount shall be sourced out from the 2002 balance of unrestricted operating surplus under the BEGH account.
As stated in the request, P400,000 would be used for dietary expenses; P30,000 for medical oxygen; P350,000 for laboratory reagents; P120,000 for gasoline and oil expenses; P100,000 for hospital maintenance; P20,000 for telephone bills; and more than P168,000 for the payment of security and janitorial services covering the months of September until December.
(August 23, 2003 issue)
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