Sulu Governor Sakur Tan, left, and ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman huddle in this photo posted on the website of Sulu Provincial Government.
The fund, part of Aquino’s continuing initiative to improve socioeconomic conditions in the southern region, would also be used for the purchase of health equipment, according to Budget Secretary Florencio Abad.
“Our ability to ensure better public health care for ARMM communities is crucial to the region’s overall socio-economic growth. We’re actively improving facilities and conditions in the region’s public hospitals, many of which still do not have the means or equipment to respond to their patients’ medical needs. The medical staffs are often talented, but without the right facilities, they can do little,” Abad said in a statement.
He said they had released some P437.5 million used to enhance hospital facilities in the ARMM. The latest release comprised the remaining balance from the P756 million under the ARMM Transition and Investment Support Plan.
Of the total amount released, P188 million will go to the construction and rehabilitation of hospitals, rural health units and village health stations in Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Marawi City, and Lamitan City.
The remaining P130.5 million will be used to purchase new hospital equipment and other health care materials for hospitals identified in the region.
|
Particulars
|
Infrastructure
|
Equipment
|
Total
|
|
Basilan
|
29,000,000
|
14,000,000
|
43,000,000
|
|
Tawi-Tawi
|
49,500,000
|
55,000,000
|
104,500,000
|
|
Sulu
|
49,500,000
|
20,500,000
|
70,000,000
|
|
Lanao del Sur
|
47,000,000
|
23,000,000
|
70,000,000
|
|
Maguindanao
|
2,000,000
|
2,000,000
|
4,000,000
|
|
|
4,000,000
|
9,000,000
|
13,000,000
|
|
|
7,000,000
|
7,000,000
|
14,000,000
|
|
Total
|
188,000,000
|
130,500,000
|
318,500,000
|
“The President is committed to improving the situation for ARMM communities compromised by armed conflict and security issues. As we continue to push for quality healthcare in the region and the physical well-being of ARMM residents, we can reasonably expect them to become more productive members of their communities and more effective agents of change for the entire region,” Abad said.
Sulu Governor Sakur Tan has praised Aquino for his support to peace and development in the ARMM.
“We don’t know how to thank the President for all these support to the ARMM and Sulu in particular, and I am sure that these projects will benefit mostly the poor,” he told the Mindanao Examiner in a phone interview.
Tan said it is only now that the national government has put so much attention to the poor plight of the ARMM. “All we can Mr. President is thank you very much and our people appreciate all these peace and development projects,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)
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