Several government-owned coronavirus disease (COVID-19) treatment hospitals in Quezon City received a total of P1.3 billion in additional funds this year under the 2022 national budget, said Anakalusugan Representative Mike Defensor.
Defensor said the Lung Center of the Philippines, a COVID-19 referral and treatment hospital, will receive an augmentation of P179 million, or from P505 million last year to P684 million this year.
Defensor said 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.
The veteran legislator 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.
The seasoned lawmaker noted that funds for the Philippine Orthopedic Center will be augmented by P102 million, from P934 million to P1.036 billion; while those for the National Children’s Hospital will go up by P66 million, from P595 million to P661 million.
“The extra taxpayer subsidy will allow these hospitals to provide more services and financial assistance to their patients.”
“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 P400 million to P1.5 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 for its residents.
“The city should match the national government initiative by allocating more funds to its hospitals to accommodate more patients.”
“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 concluded.
