Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda says the enactment of the bill converting the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital into a general and subspecialty hospital “is almost certain”.
LEGAZPI CITY, ALBAY (PIA) – "Converting the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH) into a general and subspecialty hospital is almost certain,” 2nd district Representative and House Ways and Means Committe Chair Joey Sarte Salceda. said.
He said the senate has approved without amendment the House Bill No. 8228 which he authored and sponsored for the conversion of the the BRTTH located in the municipality of Daraga, this province into a general and subspecialty hospital, to be known as the Bicol Regional Hospital and Medical Center (BRHMC).
The bill also increases the authorized bed capacity of the hospital from 250 to 800.
“This will realize a longstanding dream among Albayanos to have quality affordable medical care for every medical need, and to have access to it within their own province,” Salceda said.
Salceda also thanked President Duterte “for his continuous support for the BRTTH”, and Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go “for moving the measure quickly in the Senate.”
“This would not have happened without the strong support of the national government. I also thank the Senate and House leaderships for moving this bill forward,” he added.
Salceda also highlighted the importance of the hospital to the Bicol Region.
“The BRTTH is the PGH of the Bicol Region. It is the training hospital for the Bicol University College of Medicine, which is one of the first state medical schools in this country, outside the University of the Philippines System, to offer free tuition to a significant share of its students. The BRTTH allows the BUCM to produce doctors who are prepared for the real-life challenges of public health and medicine in a developing country,” Salceda said.
“The BRTTH is also Albay’s COVID-19 treatment facility. It is the beating heart of our pandemic response,” he added.
As such, Salceda said he expects the senate to approve the measure on 3rd reading by next week.
“I think the Senate will approve this measure on final reading next week, so that we can get this done before President Duterte’s term ends. We are counting on Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, a fellow Albayano, to help us make sure the bill is on the table for approval before the break,” he added. (SAA/ PIA Albay)
