Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito gave his word that he will secure funding for much needed upgrades of the Kalinga Provincial Hospital (KPH).
The official, who sits on the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, promised to secure funding to boost the capacity of the KPH by 30 to 50 beds and to equip the hospital’s children’s ward.
“Be rest assured that you have an ally in the senate. Marami pa tayong gagawin. Five years itong, limang taon bago matapos ang aking termino, be rest assured, sisiguraduhin natin na magiging maganda na ang facilities ng inyo pong ospital,” he said.
Sen. Ejercito was in Tabuk City on Friday, April 21, 2023, to visit the three-story OR/DR Complex of the KPH which he had helped fund. He was welcomed by Governor James Edduba, Congressman Allen Jesse Mangaoang, provincial board members, municipal and city officials, and KPH officials and staff.
On the way to the OR/DR complex, Sen. Ejercito passed through the KPH’s main building where he greeted some patients who were staying on the corridors due to the lack of space in the wards.
Noting the situation, the senator vowed to help address overcapacity at the KPH. “Pagtulungan nalang po nating makadagdag pa ng 30 to 50 beds para wala na po ang pasyente sa mga corridors,” he said.
He also promised to support the re-nationalization of the KPH by filing a counterpart bill, saying that as a former mayor himself, he understands how financially burdensome it is on the local government to operate a hospital.
It would be recalled that Cong. Mangaoang filed a bill to re-nationalize the KPH to upgrade it into a level 3 regional hospital known as the Northern Cordillera Regional Medical Center.
Mangaoang stated that the renationalization of the KPH would firmly address overcapacity, lack of equipment, among other problems of the KPH.
“So kung maililipat natin sa [national government], even just for the main hospital, malaking bagay na po yun sa inyong probinsya so pagtatrabahuan ho naming yan ni Congressman Jesse Mangaoang,” Sen. Ejercito said.
