Gov. Pineda (left) is assisted by Mayor Espino in cutting the ceremonial ribbon during the opening of the new building at the Arayat District hospital.
With them are (L-R) Board Member Nestor Tolentino, Dr. Simbul and Board Member Raul Macalino.
Photo by Ric Gonzales
ARAYAT, Pampanga – Gov. Lilia “Nanay Baby” Pineda on Monday led the inauguration of the P10-million building at the Emigdio C. Cruz Sr. Memorial Hospital (ECCMH) here, earning praises from local officials as it was the first-ever major rehabilitation work at the over-35-year-old hospital.
Pineda joined Mayor Luis Espino and other officials as they opened the extension facility increasing the bed capacity of the ECCMH.
Dr. Benjamin Simbul Jr., ECCMH chief of hospital, said that there are now 57 beds at the district hospital.
“It used to be just 25 beds and we really are very full daily. It was normal to see patients along the hallway then,” said Simbul. The hospital takes in an average of 40 patients per day.
Mayor Espino expressed gratitude to Pineda, saying “no other governor had given that much attention to our hospital benefitting the poor ones.”
Espino said their hospital also serve residents of nearby Cabiao town in Nueva Ecija.
Arayat Councilor Pines Alejandrino said Pineda “had fulfilled her promise to extend the hospital to serve more people.”
Simbul said they have at least 57 doctors, nurses and regular staff at the Arayat hospital. About 10 others, he added, are helping them run it.
Simbul, who has been assigned at the ECCMH for more than 20 years already, said he had been told several times by the first-term governor to serve the “people well with a smile.”
“And that is also a reminder to all my staff,” he added.
Simbul said Pineda had also planned to fund the repair of the old building.
