CITY OF SAN FERNANDO- The 1st ever Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) Hospital in the country was inaugurated on Tuesday, June 28, by the officials of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Provincial Government of Pampanga, and other stakeholders at the PEO Compound, Brgy. Sindalan, here.
The inauguration was led by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Vice Governor Lilia Pineda on behalf of Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda, Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega, Donato Almeda of Bloomberry Cultural Foundation Inc. (BCFI), Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Director Dr Gerardo Legaspi, OWWA Administrator Hans Cacdac, and incoming Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan Ople.
The 100-bed secondary government hospital is solely intended to provide the highest quality of medical care and health services to OFWs and their families.
Officials said that the construction of the hospital is considered to be one of the greatest legacies of the Duterte administration.
“Today, we are witnessing the inauguration of the OFW hospital which will become one of the legacies of the Duterte administration that would guarantee quality health care to modern-day heroes, our OFWs,” Senator Bong Go said in a video message.
The construction of the hospital began in 2021. It was inspected by President Rodrigo Duterte himself in May 2022, 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. For the meantime, It will function as an infirmary, treating and serving different illnesses and minor surgeries in partnership with Jose B Lingad Memorial General Hospital (JBLMGH) and Philippine General Hospital (PGH).
Vice Governor Nanay, meanwhile, shared that not long ago, she and Governor Delta had been envisioning a project that would prioritize the welfare of the OFWs in recognition of their vital contribution to the country’s economy.
Thus, she never thought that a dream project which only started during a simple exchange of pleasantries between Secretary Bello and business tycoon Enrique Razon would come into reality.
“Salamant po, Presidente Duterte. Talagang ramdam natin na mahal niya talaga ang mga Kapampangan. Kung pagsasamahin po natin ang lahat, nasa billions po ang ibinigay na proyekto ng Presidente sa Pampanga,” she shared.
Vice Governor Nanay also guaranteed that she and Governor Delta will seek support from other governors in Central Luzon to sustain the funding of the hospital to support more OFWs.
“Hindi lang po ang province of Pampanga ang nagsusuporta rito sa OFW Hospital, kakausapin po namin ni Governor Delta ang mga gobernador sa ibang lalawigan na may maraming OFW. Kailangan po namin maglagak ng pondo rito pandagdag sa pondong ibinibigay ng national government para matulungan ang ating mga OFW,” she said.
The construction of the OFW hospital was made possible through the public and private partnership made among DOLE, the Provincial Government of Pampanga, BCFI, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
The Provincial Government of Pampanga donated the 1.5-hectare land where the hospital was built. BCFI gave P500-million for the construction of the hospital while PAGCOR allocated P200-million for the equipment.