Legislators push for construction of hospital in Lanao town

COTABATO CITY ― Addressing the long-standing healthcare access issues faced by the residents of Masiu, Lanao del Sur, Bangsamoro legislators have filed a measure calling for the construction of a general hospital in the municipality.

The Parliament Bill No. 257, or the “Aleem Abdulazis S. Mimbantas Memorial Hospital Act of 2023,” ensures that the residents of Masiu and its surrounding areas have access to accessible, basic, quality, and affordable medical services.

Currently, patients in Lanao del Sur must travel more than an hour to reach Marawi City to meet their health and medical needs.

The lengthy commute often had severe consequences for those in need of immediate medical attention.

Financial limitations and the distance have often forced some patients to forgo seeking medical care, the authors added.

Recognizing these concerns, PB No. 257 seeks to establish a level 1 general hospital equipped with fifty beds in the Municipality of Masiu in Lanao del Sur.

It will be named after Aleem Abdulazis S. Mimbantas, a former vice chairman of the Military Affairs of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), in honor of his great contributions in the Bangsamoro struggle.

The Aleem Abdulazis S. Mimbantas Memorial Hospital will not only serve the medical and healthcare needs of the Bangsamoro people but will also open up new employment opportunities within the region.

The hospital will operate under the direct control and supervision of the Ministry of Health.

The MOH will produce a hospital development plan if the necessity for an upgrade emerges in the future.

The authors of the bill further emphasized that the proposed measure aligns with the provisions of the Bangsamoro Organic Law that the Bangsamoro Government must adopt a policy on health that provides for a comprehensive and integrated health service delivery for its constituents.

PB No. 257 is an initiative of MPs Said Sheik, Ali Montaha Babao, Amroussi Macatanong, Abdullah Macapaar, Basit Abbas, Marjanie Macasalong, Nabila Margarita Pangandaman, and Ali Solaiman. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)