Tarlac City Mayor Cristy Angeles on Thursday led the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Tarlac City General Hospital located in Barangay Binauganan.
Angeles said it is her dream to provide a hospital that would address the health and medical needs of her constituents.
“Nangarap tayo na magkaroon ng sariling hospital. A hospital that we can call our own na nagbibigay medical attention sa mga kababayan kong taga-lungsod ng Tarlac at sa awa ng Diyos, dininig nya ang ating pangarap (We dreamed of having our own hospital, a hospital we can call our own that will give medical attention to our city mates here in Tarlac and with God’s mercy, He heard our dream),” she said during the event.
She noted that with this hospital, there would be no more need for her constituents to go or be referred to the health facilities in neighboring areas.
Angeles said the realization of the city’s dream started when New Tarlac Realty donated a lot for the construction of the medical facility.
The city government and the Department of Health (DOH) 3 (Central Luzon) – Center for Health Development then signed a memorandum of agreement on April 3 for the PHP125-million initial support fund from Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go (PHP25 million) and Senator Pia Cayetano (PHP100 million).
“Ito po ang pinangarap ko, libreng hospital para sa inyong lahat (This is my dream, free hospitalization for all of you),” Angeles added.
DOH-3 Director Corazon Flores lauded the city government officials for giving importance to health.
“The city government officials, especially Mayor Angeles really worked it out for the construction of the hospital,” Flores said.
She said it is the priority of the government to ensure the provision of health services to the people.
“It is part of the Universal Health Care law wherein all Filipinos will have access to health service,” she added.
Flores assured of the DOH’s full support of the project.
Angeles, meanwhile, said the construction of the hospital will take two to three years. (PNA)