QC Covid-19 hospitals to get P1.3-B budgetary increase

MANILA – A party-list lawmaker on Thursday said several government-owned coronavirus disease (Covid-19) treatment hospitals in Quezon City received a total of PHP1.3 billion in additional funds this year under the 2022 national budget.Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor said the Lung Center of the Philippines, a Covid-19 referral and treatment hospital, will receive an augmentation of PHP179 million, from PHP505 million last year to PHP684 million this year.Defensor said the National Kidney and Transplant Institute will get PHP300 million more, from PHP1.3 billion to PHP1.6 billion, while the Philippine Heart Center will have an additional PHP100 million, from PHP1.8 billion to PHP1.9 billion.He said the East Avenue Medical Center, another Covid-19 treatment hospital, will get an additional PHP400 million, from PHP2.2 billion to PHP2.6 billion; while the Quirino Memorial Medical Center, formerly Labor Hospital, will have PHP200 million more, from PHP1.1 billion to PHP1.3 billion.He noted that funds for the Philippine Orthopedic Center will be augmented by PHP102 million, from PHP934 million to PHP1.036 billion; while those for the National Children’s Hospital will go up by PHP66 million, from PHP595 million to PHP661 million.“The extra taxpayer subsidy will allow these hospitals to provide more services and financial assistance to their patients, many of whom are residents of Quezon City,” he said.In the case of Philippine Children’s Medical Center, he said its 2022 budget will go down by PHP400 million to PHP1.5 billion because its allocation for the procurement of various medical equipment in 2021 was a one-time appropriation.Aside from national government-run health facilities in Quezon City, Defensor said the city owns several hospitals that cater to residents.“The city should match the national government initiative by allocating more funds to its hospitals to accommodate more patients, especially at this time of pandemic,” he said. (PNA)