LA TRINIDAD, Benguet Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-list Rep. and Benguet caretaker congressman Eric Yap underscored that he will prioritize the re-nationalization of the Benguet General Hospital (BeGH) to help in improving the delivery of quality health care services to the people with the guaranteed provision of medical equipment, supplies and personnel.
Yap, who was given the change by the province’s electorate to serve as full pledged District Representative, stated that he will refile the bill re-nationalizing the BeGH in the upcoming Congress to allow the improvement of the health facility that will contribute in ongoing efforts to delivery quality health care services to the people, especially those from the rural communities.
Earlier, Congressman Yap was proclaimed by the provincial board of canvassers as the winning candidate for the province’s lone congressional post after edging Itogon Mayor Victorio T. Palangdan during the recently concluded May 9, 2022 synchronized national and local elections.
He claimed that while it is true that the bill re-nationalizing the BeGH suffered a setback in the Senate when it was submitted for plenary debates, he will make sure that the same will already be passed by both chambers for the signature of President-in-waiting Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr who will be assuming his post by noon of June 30, 2022.
The neophyte lawmaker stipulated that once the proposed BeGH re-nationalization bill will be approved, the health department will be compelled to provide additional and state-of-the-art medical equipment, increase the available medical supplies and provide adequate health experts and personnel to be able to effectively and efficiently deliver quality health care services to the people.
He explained that it is best for the health department to equip the various hospitals in the different parts of the country and to put the same under its control and supervision to ensure that the health needs of the patients seeking treatment from the same will be provided.
According to him, the funds that will be spared by the provincial government from the operation and maintenance of the hospital could be used to fund other high impact development projects that will cater to the needs of the people living in the rural villages, especially in the improvement of the current state of infrastructure which will be beneficial to the welfare of the greater majority of the populace.
At present, the provincial government is currently providing the funding support for the continuous operation of the hospital which is a second level health facility that is why its capacity is limited.
He expressed hope that the proposed bill that he will file once Congress will convene for the next batch of lawmakers will be immediately acted upon because the same had already been extensively deliberated by the committees on health of both chambers so that it will be immediately signed into law by the next President.
Photo by Armando Bolislis
