Some 18,580 families are expected to benefit from a PHP24.9-million centralized health care facility that will be established in Libon, Albay by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Bicol under its Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) program.

In an interview on Sunday, Sheryl Lofamia, Kalahi-CIDSS area coordinator, said the two-story building will be built on a 216-square meter lot donated by the local government unit of Libon.

She said the construction began after Friday’s groundbreaking ceremony and is expected to be completed by November.

“It is a facility with 22 patient rooms, seven-bed capacity on the ground floor and 15-bed capacity on the second floor with complete amenities. Also with an isolation room, nurse station, staff house, doctors house and power house room,” Lofamia said.

Aside from being a health care facility, it can also be used as an evacuation center during calamities.

After completion, the project will be turned over to Libon.

The project was realized after the town’s 47 villages agreed to use their grant for one centralized facility.

“The PHP20 million is the grant from Kalahi-CIDSS for the 47 barangays, while the remaining amount is the counterpart of the local government unit of Libon,” Lofamia said.

She said volunteers from the different barangays facilitated the procurement activities for the project.

KALAHI-CIDSS is the community-driven flagship development project of the government which aims to empower communities through their direct participation in projects that address poverty and provide interventions on asset reforms, human development services and capacity building. (PNA)