CONSTRUCTION of an eight-bed capacity intensive care unit (ICU) has already started this month, while plans to build a mental facility are underway, said city official.
City councilor George Goking, chair of the city council's trade and commerce, said the ICU will be done in December this year.
"This is the first ICU beds in JR Borja Hospital and we aim this will not only serve the city but also to its neighboring municipalities, cities and provinces," he said.
"We will echo the vision of this administration that Cagayan de Oro will become the nation's premier local government hospital with fiscal autonomy and preferential option for the poor and underprivileged," he added.
Meanwhile, the city development council has approved on Thursday, P281-million infrastructure projects that are lined up for next year.
City Mayor Oscar Moreno, chairman of the said council, said they will prioritize the construction of infirmary centers, medical-responsive health centers, road construction, including road opening and widening, drainage construction and slope protection, among others.
The budget, sourced from the city's Development Fund comprising 20 percent, will be used to start these priority infrastructure projects from the Annual Investment Program of 2017.
Also included in the priority projects are road reblocking, declogging of major waterways as well as projects in water system, electrification, tourism development and construction of child development centers.
This week, the city government has turned over a total of 24 classrooms to Pigsag-an National High School and Lumbia National High School. On the other hand, three child development centers were also turned over to barangays Bugo, Pagatpat, and Balubal. These projects were all sourced from the special education fund of the city.
The Annual Investment Program covers the general fund worth P4 billion, followed by the city's borrowing budget worth P500 million, while P444.3 million is allotted for the special education fund, P281 million for the Development Fund, and P171.6 million for the city disaster risk reduction and management fund.
Moreno for his part, said his first 100 days in his second term, is 'going good'.
"This month, we have turned over several classrooms, ang concreting sa atong kadalanan has been on-going, and repair sa JR Borja hospital, ang pagput-up sa ICU on-going gihapon, upgrading sa atong health centers, padayon kana tanan, our principal-based relationship has been improving too," he said.
"Things are looking good for the city, investments are coming in, inaugurations are taking place, left from right, probably new BPOs (business process outsourcing companies) are being put-up, next month another one will come here," Moreno said.