THIS PRESS RELEASE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED BY THE BOHOL CHRONICLE’S SUNDAY PRINT EDITION.
The Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) pursues the modernization of its health care services.
This was made clear in a virtual collaborative meeting of the House Committees on Health and Appropriations with the Senate Committee on Finance and the Department of Health (DOH) last Friday, September 10.
Tackled in the meeting were features of House Bill No. 9472 principally authored by Cong. Edgar Chatto and approved by the House Committee on Health last May as well as Senate Bill 2244 filed by Senator Sonny Angara to convert GCGMH to Governor Celestino Gallares Multi-Specialty Medical Complex.
According to Chatto, the measure gives value to the expansion of facilities in Tagbilaran and Cortes, the upscaling of its specialty services in both campuses, enhancements in its personnel and structure, and acquisition of a new state of the art medical equipment.
The house bill also introduces amendments to Republic Act 11324 sponsored by then Cong. and now Vice Gov. Rene Relampagos increasing the hospital bed capacity from 225 to 525 beds.
The construction of Phase 1 of the Cortes Campus is currently ongoing. Once the Cortes Campus becomes operational, the two hospital campuses will each be led by separate Deputy Chiefs, supervised by the Chief of the hospital.
Gallares chief Dr. Mutya Kismet Tirol-Macuno reported that Phase 2 of the expansion in Tagbilaran may be completed and turned over by end of next month.
The hospital is also now in the process of hiring additional staff to complement the increased bed capacity.
“We fully support the modernization of Gallares. This is aligned with the Health Facilities Development thrusts of DOH,” Dir. Ma Theresa Vera said.
DOH Health Facilities and Services Regulatory Bureau (HFSRB) Dir. Nicolas Lutero also expressed support for the novel legislation which he says is an innovation for the growth of the Gallares Hospital and may open opportunities for the development of other regional hospitals.
The modernization of Gallares in Tagbilaran and its expansion in Cortes that was approved by the NEDA Board were initiated by Chatto when he was then governor consistent with the improvement of District Hospitals provincewide.