"IT'S propaganda and it's ridiculous."
This was the reaction of former Bacolod City congressman and former mayor Monico Puentevella after Representative Greg Gasataya filed a bill in Congress that calls for the construction of Bacolod City District Hospital.
"It's an election campaign and now he filed a bill like that?" Puentevella asked
Puentevella, who is now running for congressman, said the hospital project is not even included in the P1.7-billion priority projects of the City Government.
He said there is no need to build a modern hospital because the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) already used the West Tower Building, which can now cater more patients.
Puentevella said the West Tower Building was his baby project where he led the inauguration of the building in 2009 when he was a congressman of Bacolod.
"I facilitated the construction of the building when I was a congressman and the original name of the building was Bacolod Heart, Lung and Kidney Center which was approved by former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo," he said.
In 2016, the CLMMRH unveiled the West Tower Building, a health infrastructure with facilities amounting to more than P1 billion.
Dr. Julius Drilon, medical center chief, earlier said the opening of the newest facility marks another step for the regional hospital in bringing a higher level of patient care.
He said the new facilities enable CLMMRH, an International Standardization Organization (ISO)-certified government-run hospital, to provide compassionate health services that are accessible and world-class, yet affordable.
Gasataya could not be reached for a comment as of press time.
Gasataya earlier filed House Bill 9079 that calls for the construction of Bacolod City District Hospital.
Gasataya said they are planning to build a modern district hospital in Bacolod and the plan was already approved by Mayor Evelio Leonardia and the members of Grupo Progreso incumbent councilors.
He said the funds of the proposed project will come from the National Government.