DESPITE problems like streamlining the operation of the province’s district hospitals and opening of farm-to-market roads, Gov. Hilario Davide III is pushing for the construction of a 20-story building within the Capitol compound. The original design prepared by AS Enriquez Engineering Consultancy years ago was only for a 12-story building but Davide ordered it revised. The building will be constructed at the old BAEX site at the right side facing the Capitol building.
The first few floors will be occupied by Capitol offices, as they are planning to abandon the main building and convert it into a heritage structure. Davide’s reason is that the Capitol building, built almost a century ago, suffered minor structural defects during the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Bohol and Cebu four years ago. The rest of the soon-to-be constructed building will be rented to private entities.
According to my source, Provincial Administrator Mark Tolentino was the one who presented the new design and briefed the members of the Provincial Board (PB) so they would support the project. The estimated cost is about P1.5 billion. Davide will need the approval of the PB for the project implementation and a resolution authorizing him to apply for a loan with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).
This is the second time the Davide administration applied for loan for the governor’s “ambitious” projects. The first was the purchase of light and heavy equipment amounting to more than P200 million wherein their “favored” suppliers won the highly questionable bidding.
Whyis Davide prioritizing the construction of this building? As to the plan to abandon the Capitol building and convert it into a heritage structure, can’t the National Heritage and Historical Commission do it while it is being utilized as the seat of power? That building is still strong, so why abandon it?
Some PB members, including Davide’s political allies, who attended the presentation raised their eyebrows. They suspect that this is part of the preparation for the coming elections. Mao pod nay akong pagduda.
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Since we are talking about district hospitals, here’s a letter from our reader:
“This is regarding the news item on increasing the provincial government’s budget for the purchase and upgrading of medical facilities for the provincial hospitals. While it is true that most, if not all, of our provincial hospitals are ill-equipped, it is not also providing immediate and curative medical services. What the medical personnel do is refer the patients to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.
“Doctors in provincial hospitals as well as other government hospitals are usually hired through political backing and not through merit. They do not have the 3 to 4 years residency training from a general hospital. Some of them are newly licensed. Doctors who underwent residency training have the competence and confidence to diagnose and manage the treatment of the patients.
“The Davide administration should prioritize residency training for physicians hired and this should be made one of the qualifications needed in hiring them.
“With regards to the plan to target medical tourism, that should be shelved for the moment since it would require a bigger budget.”