Hospital modernization, Virology Institute priorities in ‘21 outlay

MODERNIZATION of more hospitals and the creation of the Virology Institute of the Philippines will be included in the proposed P4.5trillion national budget next year.

House Committee on Appropriations Senior Vice Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda said the funding for the establishment of the Virology Institute of the Philippines, which he first proposed in House Bill No. 6793, is included in the 2021 National Expenditure Program (NEP).

Under the NEP, P283 million is allocated to set up the institute, the country’s research center for cures and preventative methods and products for viruses.

Salceda said this budget is “preliminary,” and that he will ask the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to clarify whether these are merely for capital expenses or will already include organizational expenses.

“The estimate is that construction of facilities might take five years. I think the organization should be established soon, so that we can already begin securing funding commitments and partnerships. By the time the facilities are ready, we can also get to work with research,” Salceda said.salceda added that the Virology Institute also needs to start being integrated into industry development plans.

“Research and development is the future of the Philippine economy. We see much industry development potential in the virology institute. Abaca is apparently the best surgical mask filter. Virgin coconut oil apparently has potential as a therapeutic for throat viruses. Of course, our metals extractive industry could also see plenty of value-added if used in virus-combatting technology. This could be game-changing for many industries,” Salceda said.

“That’s why we need to get the organization ready now for planning, even when the facility is still under construction.”

Cebu hospitals

MEANWHILE, four Department of Health (DOH) hospitals in Cebu province are getting a combined budget of P2.5 billion for their operations in 2021 and another P196 million to further modernize their facilities, Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas said on Sunday.

Gullas, a House appropriations committee member, said the operating budgets of the four national government hospitals in the province include: Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City with P1.9 billion; Cebu South Medical Center, formerly the Talisay District Hospital with P380 million; Eversley Childs Sanitarium in Mandaue City with P128 million; and St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital in Cebu City with P90 million.

“The aggregate operating budget of the four DOH hospitals in Cebu in 2021 is P400 million, or 19 percent, higher than the P2.1 billion that they are getting this year,” Gullas added.

Gullas said the four national government hospitals in Cebu are also receiving a total of P196 million from the DOH’S Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP).

Gullas said the HFEP provides additional funding allocations “for the construction, upgrading, or expansion of government health-care facilities and purchase of hospital equipment for such facilities, including the upgrading of facilities for Covid-19 response and equipping and construction of ongoing projects.”

Under the HFEP, Gullas said the DOH hospitals in the province are obtaining the following extra provisions to build up their facilities: Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (P80 million); Cebu South Medical Center (P49 million); Eversley Childs Sanitarium (P48 million); and St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital (P19 million).

Under the HFEP, Gullas said the Cebu provincial government hospitals in Carcar City, Danao City, Bogo City and in the Municipality of Balamban are also receiving a subsidy of P4 million each, or a combined P16 million, to improve their facilities.

He said RHU in the Municipality of Argao is likewise getting P3.5 million from the HFEP.

AFP modernization

Also, Deputy Speaker and Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization program is getting an extra P8 billion in 2021 to restore the bulk of funds earlier “repurposed” for the fight against Covid-19.

“Considering the foreign threats we are facing in the West Philippine Sea, we are assuring the AFP of sustained funding support for its modernization projects, despite the coronavirus pandemic,” Pimentel said.

In the proposed 2021 budget, Pimentel said the AFP modernization program is getting P33 billion in fresh funding, or P8 billion higher than the usual P25-billion annual allocation.

The AFP modernization program was earmarked P25 billion this year, but the Department of National Defense (DND) earlier returned P9.4 billion in “unobligated ” (program) funds to the National Treasury to help the government’s fight against Covid-19.

Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz