$6 Million Health Facility for Women and Children to be Built in Albay

LEGAZPI CITY – A new PHP300 million health facility designed specifically for women and children is set to be constructed at the Bicol Regional Hospital and Medical Center (BRHMC) in Daraga, Albay, enhancing medical care access in the region.

According to Philippines News Agency, Ako Bicol (AKB) Party-list Representative and House Committee of Appropriations chairperson Elizaldy Co, the facility will be Phase 1 of the Women’s Health and Child Care Specialty Center. This 10-story medical care facility, announced during a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, aims to significantly improve healthcare services for pregnant women and children. It will feature a capacity of more than 120 beds.

“As a Bicolano, I have long dreamed of the Bicol Region having a hospital that will not only provide quality services but be a center of hope and healing. Here in the special center that we will build, we will have the first hospital dedicated only to the health of women and youth. Think about the value of this for mothers, children, and the whole family; they no longer have to travel far to get proper medical attention,” Co stated during the ceremony.

Dr. Alma Bella Gonzaga-Rivera, Chair of the BRHMC Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, expressed gratitude towards the AKB for prioritizing the project which she believes will substantially improve health care quality. “Thank you, Rep. Elizaldy Co, after hearing your speech, I’m convinced that this 10-story building will be completed with the complete equipment and facilities needed. Thank you so much, AKB Party-List,” she remarked.

Gonzaga-Rivera also highlighted the critical need for the new facility, noting that the most admissions at the hospital each year are obstetrics patients, often leading to overcrowding. “Right now, we only fit in small areas, which is why we usually have two patients in one bed, but here in this new building, they will have their own beds. Every day, we admit 30 patients who are giving birth, not including those patients who are operated on because of a tumor in the uterus,” she explained.

Dr. Eric Raborar, BRHMC director, added in a separate interview that the upcoming 10-story building will occupy an 800-square-meter lot and is expected to be completed within the next two years.