BY ARDY ARANETA-BATOY

In an unprecedented move, health officials have showered praise on the Governor Celestino Gallares Multi-Specialty Complex project in Cortes town, Bohol.

Erwin Lara, the committee secretary of the House Committee on Health, hailed the project as a “pioneering work” and a unique health investment, particularly in light of the ongoing implementation of the universal health care act.

Lara, along with representatives from the Department of Health (DOH), Philhealth, and the Senate Committee on Health, visited the site on April 17.

He urged the DOH to recognize the complex’s potential to meet international standards and even become a hub for medical tourism in the country.

“I am overwhelmed, seeing what’s being done here,” Lara said, referring to the project’s enormous potential. The initiative was spearheaded by Bohol First District Rep. Edgar M. Chatto, who pushed for the legislation in the 18th Congress.

Chatto coordinated closely with Dr. Lawrence Elliot Tirol, the hospital chief, for the visit of the delegates who were in the province for a 3-day legislative forum organized by Philhealth.

Tirol revealed that the health officials expressed a keen interest in revisiting and establishing future collaborations with the hospital.

“Even Philhealth was eager to help us out with accreditation and more Z Package availability,” Tirol added.

The ambitious project was originally conceptualized and promoted by Chatto during his tenure as governor.

Under his leadership, the provincial government donated 5 hectares of land for the project.

Chatto emphasized the significance of the health infrastructure project as the apex referral hospital in the province, capable of offering multi-specialization.

He pointed out that the hospital, through Republic Act No. 11883, which he principally authored, addresses the urgent need for quality, accessible, and affordable specialized health care.

Upon completion, patients will no longer need to travel to the Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney Center, or Philippine Lung Center for medical interventions, as these services will be available at the Gallares Hospital in Cortes.

The implementation of this groundbreaking health facility project has spanned the tenures of five DOH secretaries – Enrique Ona, Paulyn Jean Ubial, Janet Garin, Francisco Duque, and Teodoro Herbosa – and three hospital chiefs, including Dr. Jose Arcay, Dr. Mutya Kismet Tirol-Macuno, and Dr. Lawrence Elliot Tirol.

The facility is expected to commence operations this year, as reported earlier by Macuno.

SOFT OPENING

The groundbreaking Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Multi-Specialty Medical Center (GCGMMSMC) in Cortes is set to conduct a soft opening by the end of 2024.

This first-of-its-kind hospital in the country will offer specialized medical services to Boholano patients.

During his guest appearance on Ardy Araneta-Batoy’s Newsmakers ug Uban Pa on April 19, 2024, Cong. Chatto revealed that officials from the Health Committees in the House and the Senate, as well as representatives from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth), were impressed with Bohol’s ability to construct such a state-of-the-art medical facility.

Chatto explained that the Cortes campus operates independently from the Tagbilaran campus, yet both are part of the same overarching entity. The Tagbilaran campus is led by Dr. Kismet Mutya Macuno, while the Cortes campus is under the leadership of Dr. Lawrence Elliot Tirol.

The Cortes campus is currently procuring necessary equipment and staff, with the goal of opening by the end of 2024.

Once fully operational, the campus will feature a heart center, lung center, and kidney center, eliminating the need for Boholanos to travel to Manila or Cebu for top-notch medical care.

Chatto, who conceptualized and worked towards the realization of the Cortes campus with the assistance of past and present medical directors of the Gallares health facility, noted that the Cortes facility is currently the most expensive investment made by the Department of Health (DOH).

The visiting officials, including those from the legislative liaison, were curious about how Bohol managed to achieve the impressive feat of building the facility.