Frasco: Capitol has the responsibility to fund Liloan Children’s Hospital

Local

CEBU Fifth District Representative Duke Frasco on Thursday, August 14, clarified that the Provincial Government of Cebu is responsible for funding the Liloan Children’s Hospital.

Frasco made the clarification while renewing his appeal to Governor Pamela Baricuatro to support his House Bill upgrading the Cebu Provincial Hospital in Danao City.

Frasco said Republic Act No. 11886, which he principally authored, clearly states that the establishment, operations, and oversight of the Liloan Children’s Hospital fall under the direct control of the provincial government.

According to Frasco, the law, which was enacted on June 29, 2022, mandates the province to fund the facility, not the congressman’s office or the Municipality of Liloan.

“Despite the fact that the law mandates the Province of Cebu to fund the establishment of the hospital, I have secured P50 million for 2025 from the Department of Health, which the Department of Budget and Management is set to release before September this year,” Frasco said.

He noted that the initial construction of a seven-storey building and groundwork alone is expected to cost around P200 million.

He appealed to the provincial government to prioritize the hospital in its 2026 budget to ensure its timely completion.

Frasco said the facility is envisioned as a specialized pediatric hospital similar to the Philippine Children’s Medical Center in Manila, aiming to serve not only Cebuano children but also patients from across the Visayas, sparing families the cost and burden of traveling to the capital for specialized treatment.

The clarification came a day after Frasco publicly asked Baricuatro to set aside political differences until 2028 and work with Congress to improve healthcare services.

He filed House Bill 3313 seeking to upgrade the Cebu Provincial Hospital in Danao City into a Level II facility to be called the North Cebu Medical Center.

The measure aims to expand bed capacity, upgrade equipment, hire more personnel, and place the hospital under the Department of Health.

Frasco said the upgrade would improve healthcare access in northern Cebu and help decongest the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.

This marks his third attempt to pass the measure after previous efforts in 2020 and 2022 stalled due to the lack of a Cebu Provincial Board resolution endorsing the project.

Baricuatro, however, maintained that the province can directly upgrade hospitals to meet Department of Health standards without passing a congressional bill. She urged Frasco to focus on facilities in his district, including the Liloan Children’s Hospital.

“Sa una ga sige ni sila og suroy-suroy karon nag sige na man og sakay-sakay… Sakay-sakay pa more,” Baricuatro said.

The governor said her administration has prioritized inspecting and upgrading provincial hospitals, including Level 1 facilities in Carcar, Danao, Bantayan, and Camotes, as well as infirmaries in Minglanilla, Argao, Sogod, Badian, Barili, Tuburan, Pinamungajan, and Daanbantayan.(MyTVCebu)

Her daughter, public health consultant Dr. Elisse Nicole “Nikki” Catalan, also weighed in, saying hospital upgrades depend on compliance with DOH standards, not legislation.

She said this approach allows the provincial government to respond quickly by hiring medical staff and acquiring equipment without waiting for a law to be passed.(MyTVCebu)