TALISAY City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas has vowed to extend more hospital and medical services to his constituents as he bared his plans for the first 100 days of his second term in office.

As he begins his second term, Gullas said he wants the services offered to constituents during his first term including free hospitalization, burial assistance, free medical laboratory exams and medicines and scholarship programs to cover more people.

“Sa atong first term, ang atong gibuhat niini nga serbisyo like for example sa ilahang laboratory ang Aksyon Agad Center igo ra mohatag ug referral sa Hi Precision libre na ka nga magpa-laboratoryo. Libre na usab ang lungon, ang haya ug ang paghatud sa patay (In our first term, services were for example, in their laboratory, the Aksiyon Agad Center would just give them a referral to Hi Precision for free laboratory services. Coffin was also free, including the wake and burial for the dead),” said Gullas.

“Within the first 100 days hopefully by July ganahan ko balikon ang atong (I’d like to renew our) MOA (memorandum of agreement) with the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development),” Gullas added.

Gullas said he will continue the partnerships with the Cebu South Medical Center for hospital services, two funeral parlors in the city for burial assistance and Hi Precision for free diagnostic services.

Medical aid

At present, indigent patients admitted at the Cebu South Medical Center, formerly Talisay District Hospital, just need to approach the Aksyon Agad Center before checking out of the hospital to settle their bills.

The mayor said the free services offered by the City Government can be expanded to reach out to more constituents.

Gullas said he also wants the City to offer other services like CT scans and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), and sign a partnership agreement with pharmacies located in front of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) on B. Rodriguez Street, Cebu City to make medicines accessible for his constituents admitted in the VSMMC.

Livelihood projects

Gullas said during his first 100 days, he will coordinate with the Lagtang Livelihood Center for livelihood courses for Tesda scholars from Talisay.

“In my first 100 days, we will introduce around seven to nine new courses. Once these courses get accreditation, these will get funding from the government for the free Tesda skills training for the Talisaynons,” Gullas said.

Gullas said he was hopeful that all the 18 to 20 courses at the Tesda-accredited facility will get accreditation.Regarding the holding of face-to-face classes, Gullas said he has talked with school officials in the city for the repair of classrooms that were damaged by Typhoon Odette last December 2021.(TPT)