QUEZON CITY – The Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH), the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC), and the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC), held the Inauguration and Turn-Over Ceremony of the Dr. Antonio Julian C. Montalvan Veterans Ward in NMMC in Cagayan de Oro on August 9, 2022. The newly-constructed ward is the first-ever veterans ward completed and inaugurated in the country, and was established to address the absence of health facilities that specifically cater to the medical needs of veterans living in far-flung areas.
During the program, Undersecretary Ernesto G. Carolina, who was the PVAO Administrator during the initiation and completion of the project, detailed the long years of planning and lobbying for the construction of a health facility outside Quezon City where the lone Veterans Hospital, the VMMC is situated. He recounted how a series of consultations and meetings between PVAO, DOH and VMMC led to the decision to put up veterans wards in government hospitals around the country, a government initiative mandated by Republic Act No. 6948, Section 17, as amended by the Republic Act No. 7696, Section 6. Thus, on December 2020, a Joint Administrative Order between the DOH and the Department of National Defense (DND) was released to provide guidelines for the establishment of the veterans wards.
“Sabi ng DOH, ‘Maglagay na lang tayo ng mga veterans wards, doon sa mga lugar na maraming beterano. Unahin natin sa Mindanao.’ Kaya una naming napili ang Northern Mindanao Medical Center, and of course, Davao, kasama ang Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC),” USec. Carolina explained.
PVAO first transferred PhP 15 million each to NMMC and SPMC for the construction of the veterans wards. A supplemental PhP 10 million was also provided to each hospital for the procurement of equipment to be used solely for the veterans.
“What is challenging about this is that this is going to be the template because this is the first… And it is going to be the benchmark,” USec. Carolina added.
Meanwhile, NMMC Director Jose Chan read the message of DOH Undersecretary Lilibeth David who explained the significance of the veterans ward. “The establishment of the veterans ward ensures the inclusion and centeredness of the veterans and their eligible dependents in the transformation of our healthcare delivery towards universal healthcare. The veterans ward is the health sector’s humble contribution to honor the lives of our heroes,” he read.
“The veterans ward also represents the joint efforts of the Department of Health and the Department of National Defense to fulfill the health related mandates from the laws that benefit the veterans,” USec. David added.
Guest of Honor and Speaker, Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez, said that the establishment of the Veterans Ward in NMMC is very strategic as Cagayan de Oro is the gateway to Mindanao.
As a champion for the welfare of the veterans, Representative Rodriguez promised to continue fighting for the benefits of the Filipino veterans. “I would like to promise, General Mapagu, that I will continue to fight for more funds for our veterans. You will be there and we are going to make sure that we have additional funds for these medical expenses,” he said.
Incoming PVAO Administrator, Undersecretary Reynaldo B. Mapagu, graced the event on behalf of the Department of National Defense Officer-in-Charge, Senior Undersecretary Jose C. Faustino Jr. USec. Mapagu relayed the message of felicitations and support of Senior Undersecretary Faustino to the newly-inaugurated veterans ward.
“Being of advance age, our veterans are more susceptible to illnesses and diseases. Thus, one of our government’s priorities is improving the access of our veterans to quality healthcare services anywhere in the country,” USec. Mapagu read.
“Aptly named after Kagay-anon war hero, Dr. Antonio Julian Montalvan who served as an exceptional medic and intelligence officer of the 10th Military District during World War II, there is no doubt in our mind that this ward will be utilized to the fullest for the veterans’ community in the region,” he added.
Mr. Ed Montalvan, nephew of WWII hero Dr. Montalvan, expressed his gratitude for the honor of naming the veterans ward after his late uncle. “This is the first honor that Antonio Julian Montalvan received as a hero and we would like to thank the veterans’ administration for that,” he said.
The Dr. Antonio Julian C. Montalvan Veterans Ward in NMMC will be used exclusively for Filipino Veterans and their qualified dependents. The ward houses a treatment room, a nurse station, a visitor lounge, and separate rooms for female and male veterans. It can accommodate up to 25 patients. The construction of the project started in March 2020 and is now open to Filipino veterans in the region to avail health care and medical treatment.
Four (4) more veterans wards are currently under construction and are expected to be completed within the year. These include the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City, the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City, the Batangas Medical Center in Batangas City, and the Eastern Visayas Medical Center in Tacloban City.
The establishment of veterans wards was initiated to extend the Veterans Hospitalization and Medical Care Program which aims to provide hospitalization and medical benefits, including reimbursement of selected medicines and medical procedures, to Filipino veterans and their qualified dependents through the VMMC and other PVAO-VMMC accredited public and private hospitals. As veterans and beneficiaries residing in remote areas in the country cannot easily travel to access treatments provided by the VMMC in Quezon City, the establishment of veterans wards around the country will allow veterans to receive healthcare services without the need to travel far. (PVAO)
