ROXAS CITY — The proposed P47.5 million allocation for the salaries of Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital (RMPH) employees and equipment is still under scrutiny.
The proposed appropriation covered other general services at P9,300,000; other professional services, P25,840,000; drugs and medical expenses, P4,000,000; medicinal, dental, and lab supplies expenses, P8,100,000; repair and maintenance of machineries and equipment P150,000; and repair and maintenance of transpiration equipment, P110,000.
The proposed allocation by Governor Esteban Evan Contreras will come from the 2019 surplus budget at P21,820,534; COVID-19 response fund at P40,000,000; savings on procurement of goods and services at P8,235,293; the Gender and Development Fund at P2,756,362; and PS savings of P6,294,590.20.
The total proposed allocation, aside from the P47.5 million for RMPH, was pegged at P79,106,780. The remaining budget will be allocated to Bailan District Hospital, Mambusao District Hospital, Provincial Health Office, PGO-Equipment Pool Division, PEO- Administrative Division, and Capiz Rehabilitation Center.
Provincial Administrator Edwin Monares said in a press conference on September 21 that COVID-19 cases were low from March 2020 to March 2021 but has skyrocketed in April, thus the hospitals got overwhelmed.
Monares said that they are trying to get funds allocated to the RMPH and would rather not get a debt to resolve the issue.
In a September 23 press conference, Board Member Jonathan Besa said that RMPH’s budget has not been approved due to lack of documents such as purchase request, purchase order, delivery invoice receipt, requisition slip per transaction, and list of employees and their contact numbers.
Dr. Edmarie Tormon, RMPH hospital chief, said that they have passed the needed documents.
Provincial Legal Consultant Atty. Macky Cosgayon said that in observance of the Data Privacy Act, they had to seek permission from the employees before submitting their contact numbers to the SP.
Board members Thea Faith Reyes and Matt Hachuela said that the Data Privacy Act does not apply in the government.
On September 22, RMPH employees held a candlelight protest to call on the provincial government officials to approve the budget for their salaries.* (Ralph John Mijares and Edalyn Acta)
