Amid reports that many health facilities remain either incomplete or inoperational due to lack of coordination between the Department of Health (DOH) and local government units (LGUs), Senator Bong Go urged stakeholders to iron out differences for the sake of the poor and those living in remote locations.
Go made the appeal during a public hearing of the Committee on Health and Demography held recently.
“Ang importante po rito complement each other, hindi po kayo kailangang mag-away. Magtulungan po kayo dahil kailangan kayo, kailangan po ng mga LGU ‘yang pasilidad (ng DOH),” the veteran legislator said, warning that poor cooperation between the DOH and LGU’s render badly needed medical facilities unfinished, unused, or reduced to “white elephant” projects.
The seasoned lawmaker recalled instances caught on video and circulated in the media and online where the DOH and LGUs appeared to be blaming each other over unfinished projects, instead of working together to complete the facilities.
According to the senator, many LGUs, particularly fourth-class municipalities, do not have enough funds to build or complete health facilities on their own. For these areas, he stressed that the national government must step in and properly implement the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP), which is designed to help bring medical infrastructure closer to communities that cannot afford them.
“Marami pong mga probinsya o mga LGUs na umaasa po sa DOH kasi kayo naman po ang may pera. Lalung lalo na po ‘yung mga LGUs na mga 4th class municipalities na wala pong kakayahan talaga magpatayo ng mga pasilidad dahil wala po silang pondo,” Go explained.
“Huwag maging white elephant. Huwag iwanan at siguruhin na mapapakinabangan.”
“Noon pa man, naging consistent at hindi tayo nagkulang sa ating paalala sa mga implementing offices. Huwag maging white elephant. Huwag iwanan at siguruhin na mapapakinabangan,” he added.
Go cited the Super Health Centers (SHC) program of the DOH as an example of a well-intentioned initiative that requires strong coordination between the national and local governments. He said these centers are meant to make primary healthcare more accessible, particularly in an archipelagic country where many Filipinos must travel far just to reach a doctor, health center, or hospital.
“Dapat bawat pisong inilalaan ng gobyerno para sa mga proyekto ay ramdam ng mga Pilipino.”
“Maganda po ang layunin nitong Super Health Centers para mapalapit ang medical services sa ating mga kababayan lalo na sa malalayong lugar. Dapat bawat pisong inilalaan ng gobyerno para sa mga proyekto ay ramdam ng mga Pilipino, lalung lalo na ‘yung mga pinakanangangailangan ng tulong medikal,” he said.
Go pointed to the SHC in Tingloy, Batangas as a positive example, noting that the island municipality benefited from a completed and useful DOH project. He said residents previously faced difficult travel just to reach larger medical facilities.
“Gusto ko lang pong gawing halimbawa ‘yung sa Batangas, sa Tingloy. Ayan po, island po ito, isang oras ang biyahe papunta sa Batangas and another one hour yata sa Batangas Medical Center. Maganda po ‘yung ginawa nila doon. Proyekto po iyan ng DOH at salamat po sa mga natapos at magagandang proyekto. Napapakinabangan po,” Go said.
He added that similar coordination has been seen in other areas, including Sarangani in Davao Occidental, Iloilo, and Bukidnon, where national and local efforts helped make health facilities more responsive to local needs.
“This exemplifies what can be achieved when the national government and local government units complement each other, ensuring that infrastructure projects become fully operational and do not end up as white elephant projects,” Go said.
He said the DOH and LGUs already enter into agreements before projects begin, but when LGUs lack the financial capacity to sustain or operationalize facilities, the national government has the responsibility to assist them.
“Mayroon pong kasunduan ang DOH at LGU bago umpisahan ang mga proyektong ito. Pero kung hindi kaya ng LGU, trabaho ng national government na tulungan ang mga LGUs,” Go pointed out.
He stressed that the same principle applies not only to Super Health Centers, but also to local hospitals, many of which require multi-year construction and sustained support through the HFEP.
Go sought an update from the DOH on the status of primary care facilities, including Super Health Centers, and the agency’s catch-up plan to ensure that completed facilities become operational and accessible to the public.
