Friday, August 15, 2008 Church leaders still to get free health services from CSMC
BISHOPS, priests, and nuns will still enjoy free medical services from the Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) despite the change in its management.
Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) chairman Manuel Pangilinan, who is also the chairman of the Makati Medical Center, will take over the management and operation of CSMC starting Friday.
According to Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, the free medical services, assistance and treatment previously enjoyed under the Hospital Managers, Inc. (HMI) by bishops, priests, religious and lay personnel duly-accredited by the Roman Catholic of the archdiocese of Manila will continue.
"I would like to inform you that I have decided to place the care of the Cardinal Santos Medical Center into the courageous individuals of the Makati Medical Center, headed by its chairman, Mr. Manuel V. Pangilinan, whom we have chosen to take the reigns as interim operator for a period of six months commencing August 15, 2008," the prelate stated.
During six months interim period, Rosales said a formal selection process for the long-term operator of CSMC will also take place.
"Before the end of the interim period, the archdiocese of Manila shall have chosen the long-term operator that will manage the hospital for the next 20 years," he said.
Meanwhile, Rosales said the existing structures and operations of the hospital shall be preserved, as much as possible, so as not to disrupt the high level of quality service that the hospital's patients have grown accustomed to.
"This includes the continued employment of all its existing medical staff, nurses, and support personnel, without diminishment of salaries or benefits, as required by law as contractual employees," he said.
Last month, the 20-year Joint Apostolate Agreement (JAA) of the archdiocese of Manila with the Murillo family of HMI expired.
Rosales expressed his gratitude to the Murillo family and all the medical staff of HMI not only for developing CSMC into a world-class hospital but also for providing a place for comfort to the bishops and priests for the past two decades.
"Through the years, CSMC has been a place of comfort, refuge and healing, especially to our bishops and priests," he said. (MSN/Sunnex)
