Lipa City, Philippines - The management of the Lipa City District Hospital, now renamed Lipa City Hospital System 2, has been transferred from the provincial government to the city government.
According to Philippines News Agency, this strategic move is anticipated to enhance the hospital's responsiveness to patient needs and open up additional funding sources. Leviste, in an interview, mentioned that this decision, a first in the country, was a result of thorough deliberations by both the executive and legislative branches of the provincial government. He cited the Mandanas-Garcia ruling by the Supreme Court as a significant factor enabling the hospital to access new funding. This ruling strengthens the policy of devolving national government authorities to local government units (LGUs) by increasing their share of tax revenues.
6th District Board Member Aries Mendoza authored the legislation facilitating the hospital's handover to Lipa city authorities. The city council of Lipa recently passed a special resolution for the renaming and management control of the hospital. The transition follows Republic Act 11864, which upgraded the hospital to a Level II facility and increased its bed capacity, with funding support mandated from the provincial government and the Department of Health (DOH).
Governor Hermilando Mandanas emphasized that this transition aligns with the provincial government’s commitment to improving service delivery to the residents of Batangueños.