KUDOS to Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia for initiating the talk between the representatives of Bacolod Our Lady of Mercy Specialty Hospital (BOLMSH) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to halt the immediate closure of the hospital facility in Barangay Mandalagan.
BOLMSH, considered by many as the “hospital for the poor,” is poised to shut down its operations this week after PhilHealth denied its accreditation due to fraudulent activities in the previous years under the former management, Tiong Bi Inc.
With the meeting on Friday, June 22, led by the mayor, both parties agreed on an amicable settlement, perhaps a win-win solution.
The hospital will continue to see daylight until July 30.
Some 401 employees will be affected by the impending closure of the hospital while more than 200 dialysis patients will be displaced.
Aside from this, the community was also dismayed with the development.
During the meeting, Leonardia told both camps that the issue is a matter of public interest and they must explore all avenues to prevent a disruption of health care services and even loss of jobs.
The mayor appealed to all parties concerned to keep an open mind and pursue a solution for the good of the community.
Kudos to both camps for maintaining an open mind and came up with a win-win solution to temporarily resolve the problem.
But it does not end here. There is more to be done in one month.
At the end of the day, we don’t want anyone to lose their jobs or the community lose its hospital.