UP eyes 700-bed PGH extension in Diliman

The University of the Philippines on Monday said it is planning to establish an extension of the Philippine General Hospital in Diliman, Quezon City to expand the health facility's existing capacity and create an additional training ground for more aspiring doctors.

During a Senate hearing for UP's proposed P19.67-billion budget for 2021, its president, Danilo Concepcion, said it will be a 700-bed hospital that would need an initial funding of P9 billion.

"Yung PGH-Diliman ay kailangang kailangan itayo dahil 'di na tayo maaaring mag-expand sa UP Manila campus ng PGH. Pero kinakailangan po nating lakihan ang ating ospital para dumami ang mga pasyente at nang sa ganoon ay lumaki rin ang capacity ng ating College of Medicine at gamitin ng kaniyang estudyante para sila ay ma-train at maging doktor," Concepcion said.

"Magkakaroon po siya ng College of Medicine doon at magkakaroon siya ng Cancer Research Center... Madodoble natin halos ang dami ng estudyante natin sa College of Medicine. Ito po ay maganda preparation na rin for our next crisis when it comes to health crisis kung magkakaroon ulit ng pandemic," he added.

Two feasibility studies have been conducted for the project, he said. One was completed in September 2019 and the other one is projected to be finished this month.

The National Economic and Development Authority suggested that the project be undertaken through a public-private partnership (PPP), according to Concepcion.

"Kung mayroon pong magkaka-interes for PPP, iro-roll out natin ito before the end of the year," he said.

Though there are a lot of public hospitals in Quezon City, there is only one general hospital in the area which is the East Avenue Medical Center, he added.

The PGH-Diliman project, however, is not yet included in the National Expenditure Program for 2021.

"Hindi pa tapos ang mga dokumento so hindi pa namin mailagay sa budget proposal ang amount required," Concepcion said.

Senator Cynthia Villar proposed that this PGH project be established in UP-Los Baños to address the need for such a government-operated hospital in southern Luzon.

"Dalawa na po ang aming pinag-aaralan na itatayo, isa sa Los  Baños or malapit doon... Ang isa pa naming pinag-aaralan is another hospital, another PGH in Mindanao. So, dalawa ang nasa drawing board po ngayon," Concepcion said in response.

"Siguro hindi ito masisimulan o matatapos during my term pero tatapusin po namin ang kinakailangang pag-aaral para po ito ay ma-implement noon pong papalit sa akin," he added.

Concepcion began his six-year term as UP President in February 2017. —KBK, GMA News