BOHOL advances efforts to improve healthcare access and hospital capacity as the Provincial Development Council (PDC), chaired by Gov. Aris Aumentado, convenes its Social Development Sector to address pressing health service needs across the province.
Presided over by Provincial Administrator Asteria Caberte, the meeting on October 30, 2026, at the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) Hall brought together health officials and representatives from government agencies to discuss hospital congestion, patient referrals, healthcare infrastructure, and the delivery of essential medical services.
Medical Center Chief II Dr. Miguelito Jayoma of the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Medical Center (GCGMMC)-Tagbilaran City reported that the hospital recently met with Department of Health Secretary Edwin Mercado to discuss measures addressing patient congestion.
Among the immediate interventions is the opening of 56 additional beds.
Under the proposed referral arrangement, patients from Clarin northward to Carmen will be referred to Gallares-Cortes, while those from southern municipalities will be directed to Gallares-Tagbilaran.
The medium-term plan includes acquiring another 100-bed hospital, which is already undergoing legal processes, while the long-term plan targets an expansion of more than 700 beds.
Chief Allied Health Officer Maria Pureza Enriquez of Gallares-Cortes also reported that the facility currently provides chemotherapy services, with radiotherapy services expected to follow.
It is also preparing to open 50 beds and targets a 240-bed capacity under its medium-term plan, including the acceptance of general internal medicine cases.
Meanwhile, the representative from the Don Emilio Del Valle Memorial Hospital in Ubay identified mental health services as a priority, with the hospital handling intermediate cases requiring up to 14 days of admission before referring patients needing longer-term care to larger psychiatric facilities.
Board Member Mutya Tirol highlighted two proposed ordinances aimed at strengthening the integrated referral system and establishing a closed-group referral system.
She emphasized the importance of collaboration and data-driven budgeting to ensure that healthcare resources respond to community needs, particularly in making Rural Health Units (RHUs) more accessible across Bohol, a UNESCO Global Geopark.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Mary Fruserma Uy reported that the province has complied with the requirements for the prepositioning of anti-venom vaccines, with the objective of making these available within 30 minutes when needed.
The Department of Health (DOH) representative also clarified that BCG and anti-venom vaccines are centrally procured by the agency’s central office.
PPDO monitoring further showed that 11 super health centers across the province have been completed, four are ongoing, and five have yet to commence construction.
The meeting was attended by PPDO Head Atty. John Titus Vistal and representatives from DSWD-Bohol, CHED-7, the Commission on Population and Development, DepEd-Bohol, DepEd-Tagbilaran City, TESDA, Bohol Island State University, and the National Housing Authority.
Through coordinated planning, stronger hospital networks, and investments in healthcare facilities, the Provincial Government of Bohol, guided by its Strategic Governance Roadmap, continues to advance a more accessible, responsive, and integrated health system that brings essential medical services closer to Boholano communities. (PIMO/JFP)
