LINGAYEN, Pangasinan ,Philippines – All the hospitals operated by the provincial government are performing above par, living up to their respective mandates to give quality health care to the people of Pangasinan, especially the poor.
This was stressed by the provincial government as it denied a news report that stated “if you are sick, don’t go to a (government) hospital in Pangasinan.”
Provincial administrator Rafael Baraan branded the report as a brazen lie, saying it is the reverse of what is actually happening because Gov. Amado Espino Jr., since assuming office in 2007, has put health care on top of his priorities over all other programs.
In line with Espino’s promise that no Pangasinense, especially the poor, would be denied of quality health care, Espino started renovating the 14 hospitals operated by the province step-by-step, starting with their physical facilities.
But since the provincial government’s funds are not enough, the renovation is still continuing in some of these hospitals, Baraan said.
Espino’s overall vision in doing all these projects is to make Pangasinenses the healthiest among all Filipinos, he said.
The 14 hospitals operated by the provincial government, categorized from primary to tertiary, are all equipped with the needed facilities to save lives, said Dr. Anna de Guzman, provincial health officer.
Baraan said Espino has introduced improvements in these hospitals as these were neglected under previous provincial administrations.