Tagbilaran City, Bohol – The Regional Development Council (RDC) 7 has endorsed in a resolution a proposed P400-million, 240-bed hospital in Negros Oriental to benefit residents of Negros, Siquijor, Northern Mindanao, and Southern Cebu.

During its full council meeting here last Friday, the RDC committee endorsed in a resolution the proposed construction of the four-storey hospital within the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital compound to members of the Senate and House of Representatives and for funding assistance by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

The resolution of the RDCDC 7 was based on a request by the Provincial Development Council of Negros Oriental which stressed that the existing provincial hospital has already exceeded by 104 percent its authorized bed capacity of 250 over the last three years.

When built, the new hospital will be constructed in a 2,031 square meter lot within the Negros provincial hospital property at an estimated cost to reach P400 million. The province of Negros Oriental has raised P47 million and has secured P15 million more from the European Community to serve as start-up fund for the project.

The present hospital has exceeded its capacity because the hospital extends its services not only to the residents of Negros but also those in such neighboring provinces as Siquijor, Northern Mindanao, and Southern Cebu.

The Provincial Development Council of Negros said 70 percent of Negrenses still prefer to avail of services provided by the public tertiary hospital despite the presence of two private hospitals in the province.

Meanwhile, the RDCDC 7 has also endorsed to the Department of Public Works and Highways a request by Negros Oriental province for a feasibility study on flood control covering both Amlan and Bio-os Rivers.

The resolution came after Alman town in Negros Oriental asked for flood control measures considering that flooding of areas surrounding the Amlan River has been intense for the past three years, causing severe disruptive effects on human settlements, infrastructure, and economic activities, not to mention endangering the lives of humans and animals.

The recent floods have displaced some 200 families whose houses were either partially or totally destroyed; damaged infrastructure facilities like school buildings, day care centers, barangay halls and barangay health stations; and agricultural crops which have been wiped out by floodwaters.