LET their voices be heard.
Residents near the Bacolod Our Lady of Mercy Specialty Hospital (BOLMSH) in Barangay Mandalagan are signing a petition calling on the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to reconsider the accreditation of the hospital, which shut down its operations on July 31.
PhilHealth earlier denied the accreditation of BOLMSH, considered by many as the “hospital for the poor,” due to fraudulent activities in the previous years under the former management, Tiong Bi Inc.
In an interview with SunStar Bacolod, Rodel Manguin of BOLMSH employees union said they started to gather the signatures of the community Thursday afternoon.
We asked the support of the residents, vendors, drivers, and anybody who was affected by the closure of the hospital, he said.
He said they are looking to gather 5,000 signatures from the community.
After which, the petition will be forwarded to PhilHealth president Roy Ferrer and Senator JV Ejercito, chairman of Senate committee on health and demography.
Copies will also be sent out to Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate.
Manguin stressed that not only the 401 displaced hospital workers were affected by the closure, but the community as well.
He pointed out the community also lost its livelihood, as it relied on the people coming in and out of the hospital. “Everybody lost their extra income,” he added.
“Wala pasahero, wala may gabakal, wala may daganan na ospital na lapit,” he stressed.
(There are no passengers in jeepneys and tricycles, no one buys from the stores, there’s no nearest hospital to run into.)
Manguin said they are hoping that PhilHealth will re-accredit the hospital.
A resident, who requested anonymity, told SunStar Bacolod that it feels like a ghost town after the hospital closure.
“The area used to be alive. Business is rolling in because there are more people, either the hospital workers or those who were caring and visiting their loved ones who were admitted to the hospital,” the resident pointed out.
But now, even people working in the eateries also lost their jobs because it is not earning much, the resident said.
The resident remained hopeful that PhilHealth will reconsider the accreditation of the hospital.
Appeal
In the petition letter addressed to the PhilHealth president, the residents asked for “humane consideration” in granting an accreditation to BOLMSH “so it can open to serve the people.”
“The sudden closure of the said hospital affected the livelihood and the lives of the families of 401 employees; taxi, jeepney, tricycle and pedicab drivers; restaurant and small eatery owners; boarding house owners; and most of all, the general public who wish to avail the quality and affordable medical services of BOLMSH,” the petition said.
It added: “We have called on the representatives of the local, provincial and national government to include the church, media, civic and non-government organizations to help us in finding ways to reopen BOLMSH by persuading and appealing to PhilHealth officials to grant the accreditation status.”
Those who affixed their signatures, as a symbol of solidarity, also included their names, number of family members, and address.
Manguin said many lives and families are depending on the hospital. “We are hoping it will open again to serve the people.”