BARMM pushes for hospital construction, upgrade in Tawi-Tawi

COTABATO CITY — Proposed measures seeking to establish and upgrade hospitals in Tawi-Tawi have been refiled by several BARMM lawmakers.

MPs Amilbahar Mawallil, Atty. John Anthony Lim, Eddie Alih, and Atty. Suharto Ambolodto introduced Parliament Bill Nos. 45 and 46 in the plenary session today, September 29.
 
Datu Halun Sakilan Memorial Hospital will be upgraded to a level II hospital with 100 beds, as proposed in PB No. 45, and will be directly supervised by the Ministry of Health.
 
MP Amilbahar Mawallil said that the proposed establishment of Datu Halun Sakilan Memorial hospital aims to provide residents of Tawi-Tawi with easy access to a high-quality and sustainable healthcare service.
 
Mawallil said that despite these improvements, the memorial hospital still functions at Level I status and lacks the necessary supplies, equipment, and personnel to provide adequate service to its patients.
 
PB No. 45 also proposes improving the hospital's facilities and services, as well as expanding its medical staff.
 
The Ministry of Health will include the said hospital in all its programs and funding, if approved.
 
Another measure which also seeks to establish a general hospital in Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi, has been filed.

Meanwhile, PB No. 46 proposed to establish a Level I General Hospital with 50 beds in Sitangkai. The Tawi-Tawi Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) will be in charge of both the administrative and technical parts of the hospital.
 
MP Mawallil explained that residents often had to take a long boat ride to reach the nearest hospital.
 
If passed into law, the MOH will establish standards for the operations of the said hospital as a level I hospital, as well as provide funding for the construction of the hospital and other facilities, and medical equipment, as well as the cost of the necessary maintenance and personnel services.
 
He said that the passage of the said bill will address the gaps in access to healthcare, urging the immediate approval of the proposed legislative measures.
 
The two proposed bills were co-authored by MPs Engr. Baintan Ampatuan, Atty. Laisa Alamia, Engr. Don Mustapha Loong, Atty. Rasol Mitmug Jr., and Rasul Ismael. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)