Several government-owned COVID-19 treatment hospitals in Quezon City are getting P1.3 billion in additional funds this year, a party-list legislator said on Thursday.
“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,” Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor said.
He said the additional funds are allocated in the P5.024-trillion 2022 national budget.
Defensor added that the Lung Center of the Philippines, a COVID-19 referral and treatment hospital, will receive an augmentation of P179 million, from P505 million last year to P684 million this year.
The National Kidney and Transplant Institute will get P300 million more, from P1.3 billion to P1.6 billion, while the Philippine Heart Center will have an additional P100 million, from P1.8 billion to P1.9 billion, Defensor said.
In the case of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center, its 2022 budget will go down by P400 million to P1.5 billion because it’s allocation for the procurement of various medical equipment in 2021 was a one-time appropriation, he pointed out.
He said the East Avenue Medical Center, another Covid-19 treatment hospital, will get an additional P400 million, from P2.2 billion to P2.6 billion; while the Quirino Memorial Medical Center, formerly Labor Hospital, will have P200 million more, from P1.1 billion to P1.3 billion.
Funds for the Philippine Orthopedic Center will be augmented by P102 million, from P934 to P1.036 billion; while those for the National Children’s Hospital will go up by P66 million, from P595 million to P661 million. Maricel V. Cruz
Aside from national government-run health facilities in Quezon City, Defensor said the city owns several hospitals that cater to city 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.
Defensor, who is running for mayor of the city, promised to support city hospitals with sufficient funds if he wins in May’s elections.