PHO eyes P200M budget next year

THE Cebu provincial government is looking into a P200-million budget for next year in order to focus on the upgrading of two major district hospitals considered as “gateways” in the province — the district hospital in Carcar City for the south and the district hospital in Danao City for the north.

Provincial Health Office (PHO) Chief Rene Catan said that it would take a total of P2.5 billion to rehabilitate the whole healthcare system of the province, including the upgrade of its four major district hospitals located in Carcar City, Danao City, Bogo City, and Balamban.

However, given the annual budget of the province set at around P3.6 billion, Catan said it is not possible to allocate the whole amount necessary for the healthcare rehabilitation program in a single setting.

“We initially were looking at P2.5 billion to rehabilitate the healthcare system but understandably, this can’t be released all at once,” he said.

According to Catan, PHO is already assured of at least P133 million of the P200 million budget they are eyeing for next year.

The remaining P70 million, he said, will be sourced from other programs such as public-private partnerships and loans as well support from non-government organizations.

In addition to the district hospitals in Carcar City and Danao City, Catan said that they are also tapping the support of legislators from the Senate and Congress to help upgrade the district hospital in Bogo.

So far, Catan said that they were able to talk with Senator Risa Hontiveros who assured that her office will help with the funding as well as with the Department of Health (DOH), which reportedly pledged P30 million for the Bogo District Hospital.

Catan clarified that the P200 million that their office is asking from the province for next year excludes the budget for personnel salaries and development.

The total budget allocated for PHO as of this year, including those for capital outlay, is at P500 million, which will be raised by at least 10% next year, Catan said.

Meanwhile, Provincial Board Member Christopher Baricuatro, head of the committee on public health, said that although Dr. Catan will focus on upgrading the four major district hospitals in the next few years, the smaller district hospitals will also get the necessary funding for their operations.

TAGS: budget, Danao City, hospital, PHO