Social hygiene clinic named after Jesse Robredo closed

ANGELES CITY -- A barangay social hygiene clinic named after the husband of the new anti-drug czar, Vice President Leni Robredo, was recently closed due to financial losses.

Rodelio "Tony" Mamac, chairman of Barangay Balibago, which operates the Jesse M. Robredo Hygiene and Wellness Center (formerly Balibago Social Hygiene Clinic), said the barangay council on September 30, 2019 decided the clinic's temporary closure and forced leave of doctors, nurses, and medical technologists.

The village chief said that on September 25, 2018, the previous city council passed Resolution Number 8222, Series of 2018, accrediting three privately-owned clinics.

This was stated in the barangay council's letter to Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. dated October 7, 2019.

The accreditation of these three private clinics included the assignment of bars where their hospitality workers are required to undergo weekly medical examination.

The barangay councilmen stated that Resolution Number 8222, Series of 2018 undeniably created an impression that the Jesse M. Robredo Hygiene and Wellness Center is also a private clinic.

"The freedom of choice of hospitality workers were stripped off from them and left to the coverage of the assigned private clinics to the exclusion of the Balibago Social Hygiene Clinic. Subsequently, the city resolution resulted in the startling loss of Marps (most at risk populations) coverage from the regular clients served by the Balibago Social Hygiene Clinic and eventual financial losses and overhead expenses," the barangay leaders said.

The barangay leaders, headed by Mamac, asked Lazatin to reconsider the pronouncement as the Jesse M. Robredo Hygiene and Wellness Clinic is a private clinic.

"We would like to appeal the pronouncement that the Balibago Social Hygiene Clinix is a private clinic, that it is not accredited by the City Council, thus its services are not honored by the Angeles City Reproductive Health and Wellness Center," they said.

Mamac said their clinic is a local government initiative. According to him, the clinic was constructed using the development funds of Barangay Balibago with the support from the Priority Development Assistance Fund of Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri.

The barangay chairman said the clinic was established under "clear and simple" objectives -- to examine, treat, prevent, reduce and contain the spread of sexually transmitted infections among Marps of Barangay Balibago.

More than eight years ago, the social hygiene clinic was established by virtue of Barangay Ordinance Number 6 Series of 2011, Mamac said.

On May 3, 2011, the barangay ordinance creating the social hygiene clinic was unanimously approved through City Council Resolution Number 6129 Series of 2011, the barangay chief added.

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