CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga (PIA) — Officials of the provincial government of Pampanga and its partner agencies led the inauguration of the country’s first Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Hospital located in the City of San Fernando.
Vice Governor Lilia Pineda said it is the vision of the Capitol to have a project that would prioritize the welfare of OFWs in recognition of their vital contribution to the country’s economy.
“Thank you, President Duterte. Through projects like this, we really feel your love for us Kapampangans. If we will sum up all the projects implemented here in our province, they will be worth billions,” she said.
Pineda also assured that the provincial government will seek the support of other governors in the region to sustain the funding of the hospital to support more OFWs.
In a video message, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go lauded the construction of the facility, which aims to provide much-needed medical services to the OFWs and their beneficiaries.
“Today, we are witnessing the inauguration of the OFW hospital which will become one of the legacies of the Duterte administration. This would guarantee quality health care to modern-day heroes, our OFWs,” he said.
OFW Hospital is a seven-story, 100-bed secondary level government hospital, intended to provide medical care and health services to OFWs and the immediate members of their family.
The facility also aims to provide comprehensive and total health care services to all migrant workers including Overseas Workers Welfare Administration contributors, whether active or non- active and their qualified legal dependents.
It will likewise conduct medical examinations to ensure the physical and mental capability of would-be overseas contract workers duly covered by an approved job order; and will serve as primary referral hospital for repatriated OFWs in need of medical services and assistance.
The 1.5-hectare land where the hospital is constructed was donated by the provincial government of Pampanga, and has a market value of P500 million.
Other partners for the project include Department of Labor and Employment being its owner and manager which allocated P250 million under its 2022 General Appropriations Act Tier 2 budget; Bloomberry Cultural Foundation which donated P521.8 million for the cost of construction; Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation which allocated P200 million for funding the procurement of medical equipment; and the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) which will provide technical assistance for the initial operationalization of the hospital’s polyclinic.
Its construction began in 2021, and was inspected by President Rodrigo Duterte himself in May 2022.
On May 2, it started operations as a polyclinic, and is now ready to admit in-patients after the DOH granted the facility a license to operate.
Starting this July, 30 beds will be opened in the hospital and will function as an infirmary, treating and serving different illnesses and minor surgeries in partnership with Jose B Lingad Memorial General Hospital and PGH. (CLJD/MJSC-PIA 3)
