A COMMUNITY hospital that will cater to medical needs of residents of Candaba will soon rise, as government officials broke ground for its construction on Thursday morning, February 11.

Mayor Rene Maglanque said at least P400-million fund is allocated for the construction of the two-story facility in Barangay Pasig, Candaba town.

He said the construction funds are sourced from the local government, as well as pledged donations from Governor Dennis Pineda, Fourth District Representative Juan Pablo Bondoc, Patrol Partylist Jorge Bustos and Mabalacat City Mayor Crisostomo Garbo.

"This will be a bayanihan project of the local government and our friends from the national, provincial and city government of Mabalacat. We sourced out as many as support we can get to realize this dream that surely will benefit Candabeños and other Kapampangans and Bulakenyons who have medical needs," he said.

The mayor said the project will serve as an expanse of the Candaba Municipal Infirmary, which now serves the basic medical needs of patients.

Once completed, the medical facility will be qualified for upgrade to a Level 1 hospital, which can provide emergency care and treatment, general administrative and ancillary services, primary care of prevalent diseases in the locality, and various clinical services.

"This building will increase our bed capacity to 32 and it will provide clinical offices to several Candabeño and even non-Candabeño doctors who already pledged to provide their services in our hospital for a very minimal fee, if not free," Maglanque said.

Aside from the structure, he also said that all equipment that are necessary for a Level 1 hospital operation were already provided by the Department of Health and are kept in the Municipal Infirmary.

He said the building is expected to be finished by the end of 2021, and will start providing cheap but quality medical services to patients by 2021.

Maglanque added that the operation of the said facility will be funded by the local and provincial government but is eyed to be self-liquidating after two years.

Meanwhile, Pineda and Bondoc, who both attended the groundbreaking activity, lauded the initiative and perseverance of Maglanque in providing quality healthcare to Candabeños.

"During his first term as mayor back in 2013, he immediately constructed the Municipal Infirmary which has become beneficial to most residents until today and in his first term again today, he is expanding it to better service his constituents," Bondoc said.

Pineda also vowed to provide all possible assistance the Provincial Government can give to patients who will be confined in the said facility.