Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. has ordered the Ospital ning Angeles (ONA) to release some 3,158 birth certificates that are being held by the hospital for failure of patients to settle their bills.
Mayor Lazatin has ordered Dr. Lorina Villanueva, OIC of ONA, and Dr. Froilan Canlas, Consultant, to release all birth certificates.
The 3,158 birth certificates will be released free of charge to indigent patients who failed to pay their bills. The ‘hostage’ birth certificates are from years 1991 to present.
“Kawawa naman ang ating mga kababayan. Iniisip ko paano nakakapag aral ang kanilang mga anak kung hindi narehistro ang mga birth certificates,” according to Mayor Lazatin.
The ONA officials and staff have been contacting the parents to claim the birth certificates at no cost.
“Parte po ito ng ating serbisyo na tugunan ng pansin ang pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan na sadyang kapos sa buhay,” Mayor Lazatin said.
The local chief executive has earlier said he will put into motion the rehabilitation of ONA. “The Ospital ning Angeles, or ONA, is one of our flagship projects, if not the cornerstone of my administration. For I believe that the only way to productivity and effectiveness is through a healthy citizenry.”
Earlier, Councilor Joseph G. Ponce sponsored Resolution No. 8485 requesting Mayor Lazatin and Dr. Villanueva thru its Records Section to release all birth certificates registered and unregistered with unpaid balances. This is in accordance with Sections 34 and 34.1 of Ordinance No. 430, series of 2017, otherwise known as the Child Welfare Ordinance.
Ponce’s resolution was approved during regular session held on July 16, 2019.