Monday, July 27, 2009

Mahayag unveils hospital, water system

MAHAYAG, ZAMBOSUR—Local government officials of this town led by Mayor Paulino Fanilag Sr. recently unveiled its two service projects in health and water resource development.

The newly renovated Mahayag Municipal Hospital (MMH) was one of the four infirmaries that were granted autonomy after the Provincial Government decided to trim down its administration on the said hospitals and turned this over to the respective LGUs.

Classified as primary, the 20-bed capacity MMH is equipped with service capabilities needed to support licensed physicians and medical workers.

During the inauguration ceremony last July 23, Rep. Antonio Cerilles, who stood in behalf of his wife, Gov. Aurora Cerilles, challenged town executives to attain self-sufficiency and be fully responsible in running the health institution.

Earlier, during the announcement of the Provincial Government to transfer it’s control of the health facilities to the local governments of Mahayag, Tambulig, Dinas and Lakewood, the mayors said such a responsibility may be demanding and not easy.

But the mayors of the affected municipalities said they will make sure they will help support their health institutions to continue its operations.

The mayors said that once they will operate their hospitals, this effort will be matched with the intensified enrolment of their constituents to PhilHealth for its all-inclusive health services.

Since the community hospitals in the mentioned municipalities already have its edifice and medical equipments in place, the LGU only needs to fill it up with qualified medical workers.

Fanilag said they will hire six doctors and will sustain MMH’s operations with at least 3,000 households enrolled in Philhealth.

The Mahayag Local Water System (MLWS), on the other hand, is a P28 million water infrastructure development project, which aims to provide piped potable drinking water supply to some 50,000 residents.

MLWS, according to Fanilag, will also provide water to the neighboring towns of Josefina, Dumingag and Don Victoriano in Misamis Occidental.

Mahayag, the center of the Salug Valley area, is known for its numerous natural water springs and pools.

REPORT BY REMAI ALEJADO, ZAMBOSUR PPB