IPIL, Sibugay province — No less than Senator Imee Marcos graced the inauguration of the P360-million Dr. George Hofer Medical Center here — a state-of-the-art medical center which is expected to cater to the medical needs of the people in the province.
The senator led the simple ceremony for the opening of the hospital located in Barangay Tenan here Saturday afternoon.
During her speech, Marcos hailed the provincial government for constructing a modern hospital which will serve residents from 16 towns — Alicia, Buug, Diplahan, Imelda, Ipil, Kabasalan, Mabuhay, Malangas, Naga, Olutanga, Payao, Roseller Lim, Siay, Talusan, Titay and Tungawan.
“You now have a modern medical center here, the Dr. George T Hofer Medical Center. It’s not a joke to source out P360 million in government funds to construct a medical center for the people of the province,” said the lady senator.
“Much has still had to be done to make the hospital fully functional. These include modern medical facilities, equipment, doctors, nurses, and other medical staff,” she added.
She also told provincial government officials that “it is also hard to bring medical staffs here like doctors to complete the medical center staffs.”
As this develops, Marcos has called the Department of Health to transfer the management and operations of five DoH-run hospitals to the provincial government of Zamboanga Sibugay.
She also asked DoH to transfer seven other unfished hospital buildings that have remained abandoned for the past many years now to the management of the provincial government.
“I am calling DoH to turn over the 12 buildings seven of which are still unfinished to the Sibugay provincial government,” Marcos said.
Meantime, the provincial government formally opened recently the colorful Sibug-Sibug Festival 2023 with a series of colorful festivities to mark the 22nd founding anniversary of the province.