The proposed put up of the multi-million Aurora Hill district health center within a 300-meter portion of the Bayan Park will push through as planned using available resources of the national and city governments.
City Administrator Bonifacio dela Peña stated that the structure will be designed as a health center for the Aurora Hill district but the same will be temporarily used as an isolation unit to augment the city’s existing isolation units once there will be unprecedented surges in the number of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the coming months.
Initially, the city government will be using the P10 million from the health department for the put up of an isolation unit that will be added to the P8 million available budget of the barangay to construct the aforesaid facility.
He admitted there are some city and barangay officials and residents in the area who have reservations in the implementation of the aforesaid project but there is a need to push through with the same as it will eventually serve its purpose as a health center for the residents living in the Aurora Hill area.
According to him, the proposed 3-story structure will be constructed within the 300-meter portion of the Bayan Park which was identified by the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) as the most feasible site for the desired health center.
Earlier, the city government entered into a memorandum of agreement with the Cordillera office of the health department for the downloading of the P10 million from the agency for the put up of an additional isolation facility in the city to augment the capacity of the existing city isolation units.
The proposed Aurora Hill district health center will be the new site for the said facility after health authorities and workers assigned in the area lobbied with city officials to put up of the facility because the existing structure being occupied by the center is no longer sufficient to accommodate the number of residents seeking health services.
The city administrator pointed out that the improvement and upgrading of health centers in the different parts of the city is part of the efforts of the city government to help in decongesting the operation of the City Health Services Office based along Teodora Alonzo St. and to ensure the delivery of quality health care services to the people.
At present, there are 16 district health centers operating in strategic areas in the city thereby augmenting the health care services being provided by the CHSO.
He asserted that health care is one of the most important services that government must provide the people, especially during the prevailing difficult times caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, that is why investments must be infused by both the national and local governments to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of health care services that will be cascaded to the grassroots level.
By Dexter A. See
