COTABATO CITY — To address the pressing medical, safety, and security needs of the Bangsamoro constituents, lawmakers from the region have filed three bills seeking to establish cancer care and evacuation centers while also upgrading the Maguindanao Provincial Hospital.
These legislative efforts, according to the
authors, demonstrate their commitment to improving healthcare services and
ensuring the safety and well-being of their constituents during emergencies.
BTA Bill No. 226 or Bangsamoro Cancer Care Center
Act aims to establish a dedicated cancer care center within the Bangsamoro
region that will serve as a specialized hospital offering comprehensive
services, including diagnosis, treatment, care, rehabilitation, and relief.
The main author of the bill, MP Jaafar Apollo
Mikhail Matalam, said that this center would help ease the burden faced by
patients, eliminating the need for costly journeys to distant cities for
treatment.
MP Matalam acknowledged the challenges faced by
cancer patients and their families, such as geographical barriers, poverty, and
limited access to healthcare services.
Many Bangsamoro residents with cancer do not seek
treatment due to financial constraints and lack of access to specialized
facilities.
“By establishing a cancer care center within the
region, this bill fulfills their long-awaited right to accessible and
comprehensive cancer care, addressing the heart-wrenching reality faced by our
fellow Bangsamoro citizens,” said MP Matalam.
To ensure that even indigent constituents can
access cancer treatment, the bill proposes allocating a cancer assistance fund
to offer financial support and assistance.
The Bangsamoro Government will provide the
necessary land, buildings, equipment, and facilities for the center, which will
be under the supervision of the Department of Health and the Ministry of
Health.
Recognizing the region’s vulnerability to
calamities like flooding, armed conflict, and other disasters, MP Matalam
emphasized the urgent need for reliable and secure evacuation centers.
Under PB No. 227, or the Safer Haven Act, each
barangay within the BARMM will have a mandatory evacuation center constructed.
Said centers will adhere to core principles of safety, accessibility,
fully-equipped facilities, empowerment, and resilience, providing crucial
havens for the community during disasters and emergencies.
The evacuation centers will be equipped with
adequate shelter, sanitary facilities, potable water supply, storage areas for
relief goods, communication systems, and medical and first aid facilities.
The two proposed bills are co-authored by MPs Atty.
Suharto Ambolodto, Engr. Don Mustapha Loong, Rasul Ismael, Atty. Randolph
Parcacio, Tarhata Maglangit, Ali Montaha Babao, Abdulkarim Misuari, Hatimil
Hassan, Ali Solaiman, Mudjib Abu, Tawakal Midtimbang, Susana Anayatin, Ramon
Piang, Mohammad Kelie Antao, Albakil Jikiri, Nabila Margarita Pangandaman, and
Dr. Kadil M. Sinolinding Jr.
In another effort to enhance healthcare services,
MPs Engr. Baintan Adil-Ampatuan, Dr. Kadil Sinolinding Jr., and Atty. Sittie
Fahanie Uy-Oyod also proposed to upgrade the Maguindanao Provincial Hospital
(MPH) to a level III 350-bed capacity hospital.
The MPH, currently a 299-bed Level II hospital
located in Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur, caters to the medical and
health needs of people in the region. However, due to the rapid population
growth in the area, an upgrade is necessary to provide better healthcare
services and facilities.
The upgraded hospital will integrate all pertinent
and relevant provisions under the Universal Health Care Act (Republic Act No.
11223) into its system of operations. The Ministry of Health will remain under
the administrative supervision of the upgraded hospital and will establish and
approve the appropriate organizational structure and personnel for the
facility’s management and operations.
MPs Atty. Rasol Mitmug Jr., Amilbahar Mawallil,
Atty. Laisa Alamia, Atty. Suharto Ambolodto, Engr. Don Mustapha Loong, Rasul
Ismael, Khalid Hadji Abdullah, Jaafar Apollo Mikhail Matalam, Bassir Utto, and
Tawakal Midtimbang are co-authors of the said hospital bill. (LTAIS-Public
Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)