TARLAC CITY — “This visit to the city hospital is very necessary on my first day as mayor because the operation of this hospital this 2025 had been ballyhooed by the past administration during the campaign raising high expectations from the people. Well, this is a reality check.”
Thus, Mayor Susan Yap on June 30 took officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Health along with members of media on a tour of the Tarlac City General Hospital (TCGH) which construction has been funded with some P1.388 billion coming from the General Appropriations Act 2024 and the DOH through its Health Facility Enhancement Program for LGU Hospitals.
Initiated during the term of Yap’s immediate predecessor, Mayor Cristy Angeles, the city hospital is being constructed by Northern Builders, the company reportedly owned by Victor Angeles, the former mayor’s husband.
Right at the very sight of the facility, Yap quashed all public expectations that the TCGH would be in operation in 2025. “Based on what we’ve seen and what documents say, it is not.”
“While the physical infrastructure is important, much more important is the services that this hospital can provide. Only the building intended for the OPD (outpatient department) can likely be of use at this point in time, but then again if the intent truly, is for this section to be operational this year, then, why isn’t there anything in the 2025 City Budget that provides for the hiring of doctors and other medical personnel to support this,” noted Yap.
“Having been in charge of the Tarlac Provincial Hospital for nine years, I know what it is like to run such facility,” she said.
Yap explained that getting licenses and complying with the other requirements to operate a hospital takes time. She also said she has yet to see the feasibility study and the budgetary and operational plans of the TCGH.
“We cannot sacrifice quality over speed specially so when there is so much more to be done as construction is still going on and medical equipment are yet to be procured, tested and set in place,” Yap said.
Given the current state of inoperability of the TCGH, Yap said “It is imperative that the city government link up with TPH (Tarlac Provincial Hospital).”
“It’s crucial for the provincial and city governments to work together because if the city hospital will operate only the OPD, where will patients needing hospital confinement go, where will we admit patients who need check-ups here and require admission? We will have to refer them to the TPH or the district hospitals,” Yap explained. Punto News Team/Pagmaragul Ko MayapKo
