THE Department of Health (DOH) assured the public that all DOH-accredited hospitals and health facilities nationwide, including the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), the country’s second-largest government hospital, are fully equipped and ready to respond to any catastrophic event, particularly the anticipated “Big One.”
“Handa ang bawat DOH hospitals na tumanggap ng dagdag na 10% sa bed capacity ng bawat ospital at handa ring mag-augment ng mga contingency plans para sa mga pasyente sa oras ng sakuna,” said Health Secretary Ted Herbosa, emphasizing that hospitals within the four quadrants of Metro Manila have established surge capacity, emergency supplies, and coordinated disaster response mechanisms.
Among the key preparedness measures are the establishment of evacuation areas, power and electricity backup systems, adequate medical manpower, and a coordinated emergency response framework to ensure that health services remain operational during large-scale emergencies.
DOH, PBBM inspect quake-hit Davao Oriental
Meanwhile, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Health Secretary Herbosa, along with other Cabinet officials, visited Manay, Davao Oriental, one of the areas severely hit by the twin earthquakes that struck the province on October 10. The earthquakes, measuring magnitude 7.4 and 6.8, both originated near the Philippine Trench, shaking all areas of Davao Region and several neighboring provinces in Mindanao and Visayas regions
At least nine people were reported dead as of October 15’s log, while more than 1,300 aftershocks have been recorded as of the latest reports from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
The quakes caused extensive damage to homes, roads, and public infrastructure, including the Davao Oriental Provincial Hospital in Manay.
Following the incident, SPMC and the DOH Emergency Medical Team (EMT) were immediately deployed to assist local health authorities. The EMT, which includes doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, physical therapists, biomedical engineers, and administrative support staff, set up medical tents to provide continuous healthcare services to patients evacuated from the damaged hospital.
Secretary Herbosa confirmed that SPMC’s Emergency Medical Team was activated shortly after the second tremor late Friday evening. The deployment also included a Drinking Water Treatment Plant Mobile Unit to supply residents with clean and safe water.
In addition to emergency medical operations, the DOH has made available essential medical and public health commodities, Wash (water, sanitation, and hygiene supplies), and nutrition items to affected communities.
According to Dr. Tyrone Troi Javier, chief resident at Emergency Medicine of SPMC, the most number of complaints his team has encountered in Davao Oriental are water-borne diseases such as diarrhea. He attributed this to the not safe drinking water usually experienced after every disaster.
“As of the injured, most injuries were because of the falling debris, but thankfully as well, we were aided by emergency response teams there. They were immediately deployed there po,” he said during the visit of Ms Earth Australia at the Maharlika Charity Foundation, where the personnel of the Emergency Medicine of SPMC were also present.
After their inspection in Manay, President Marcos and Secretary Herbosa proceeded to Tarragona, the neighboring municipality, to assess ongoing response efforts and coordinate strategies ensuring uninterrupted delivery of health and humanitarian services across the quake-stricken province.
Key medical hub in the south
The Southern Philippines Medical Center, located in Davao City, is a 1,500-bed tertiary government hospital and the largest in Mindanao. It serves as a referral and training center for the southern Philippines, providing advanced medical services and serving as a regional hub for disaster and emergency response.
As of press time, the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) has yet to release an official statement regarding its preparedness for “The Big One,” as mentioned by the DOH. However, its assistance and relief operations in Davao Oriental are already underway. SunStar Davao has reached out to the hospital administration for comment. DEF, CEA