BALANGA CITY – Bataan 2nd District Rep. Jose Enrique “Joet” Garcia III on Tuesday successfully obtained the approval of his bill (HB 7893) for the expansion and upgrade of services of the Mariveles Mental Hospital (MMH) at the House Committee on Health meeting at the House of Representatives.
Once implemented the hospital will have an expanded capacity of 700 beds and include the operation of a Level 1 general ward with 100 beds.
Garcia added that it will also be renamed to become the “Mariveles Mental Wellness and General Hospital.”
At present, MMH is a 500-bed Custodial Psychiatric Care Facility directly supervised by the Regional Health Director and serves as the mental health provider for Central Luzon and sorrounsing provinces of Pangasinan, La Union, Benguet and even Metro Manila.
Garcia said over the years, the MMH has long set its sight to become Philhealth accredited but remained unable to obtain one because of lack of facility of general ward accommodation.
“The foregoing circumstances present a propitious opportunity to swiftly address the dire need for efficient and affordable medical care and health services of the residents of Mariveles and nearby municipality by expanding the services and facilities of the MMH,” Cong. Garcia told local newsmen in a recent interview in Balanga City.