“IT’S a big help in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental in terms of the delivery of medical services in our constituents.”
This was stressed by Bacolod City Lone District Representative Greg Gasataya yesterday after President Rodrigo Duterte already signed the Republic Act (RA) No. 1141 increasing the bed capacity of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) from 400 to 1,000.
Gasataya said that he was informed that President Duterte signed the RA 1141 on August 28.
“I’m very thankful to President Duterte and at the same time to the Senate and the Congress for making this law for our constituents in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental,” he said.
With the forthcoming 2020 national budget, which its deliberation is now on-going, Gasataya added that this new signed law will be funded next year.
Gasataya said the new signed law, which he authored, is his commitment to the people to improve the quality of healthcare in Bacolod City.
"The regional hospital, which currently has a bed capacity of 400, accommodates more or less 750 admissions every day. That is almost double its capacity. There is need to improve the facilities and personnel of the lone tertiary government hospital in the province," he said.
Gasataya also expressed his gratitude to Senator JV Ejercito for sponsoring the bill in the Senate, as well as to the CLMMRH medical center Chief Dr. Julius Drilon for their cooperation.
"This is only the beginning of the improvement of healthcare in Bacolod City and that we will still fight for the establishment of a district hospital in the 18th Congress," Gasataya said.
Drilon earlier said on October 14 to 16, 2018, the CLMMRH reported an average of 835 admitted patients per day.
The hospital's bed capacity is only 400 beds. However, it has been constantly accepting patients from various districts of Negros Occidental including Bacolod City which has the highest number of referrals for obstetrics and gynecology cases.