Normal operations as usual at PGH, says UP Manila Chancellor

From the UP Manila Information, Publication, and Public Affairs Office, tel. no. (63-2) 302-2215 The Philippine General Hospital (PGH) is conducting normal operations, contrary to a GMANews.TV online report stating that the directorship row is paralyzing the country’s biggest government tertiary hospital. PGH is a unit under the general supervision of UP Manila. UP Manila Chancellor Ramon Arcadio clarified that new PGH Director Jose Gonzales has been given a full appointment with a term that started January 1, 2010 to end on December 31, 2012. On January 7, Gonzales took his oath before Chancellor Arcadio in the presence of the UP Faculty and Staff Regents, UP Manila officials, and members of the All UP Workers Union. Prior to this oath taking, Gonzales was sworn in by UP Board of Regents Chair Emmanuel Angeles on December 21, 2009. Gonzales was also informed by the Secretary of the University and the Board of Regents (BOR) that on Dec. 23, 2009, a Regent filed a letter of protest in connection with the selection of the PGH Director. This issue will be subsequently resolved by the BOR. Since assuming his post, the new PGH director is fulfilling his regular duties. He nominated the hospital’s deputy directors whose appointments were approved by Chancellor Arcadio. They are Dr. Charlotte Chiong for Health Operations, Dr. Reynaldo Ang for Administration, Dr. Virgilio Novero for Fiscal Services, and Ms. Rita Tamse for Nursing Operations. The process of appointing the chairs of the hospital’s 14 clinical departments is ongoing. Gonzales and UP College of Medicine Dean Alberto Roxas started interviewing nominees February 3. The new department chairs are expected to be appointed shortly. Gonzales has also been attending usual activities at the university and the hospital, such as flag ceremonies, meetings, receiving visitors and gracing other events. “Every three years when a new director takes over, a transition period takes place when an outgoing director gives way to the incoming one. This is normal in any institution with or without a controversy," the chancellor explained. “This is also the time when the new members of the executive team are appointed in preparation for a planning seminar to chart the institution’s thrusts and directions," he added. The chancellor also stated that, contrary to reports, patient services in all units of the hospital were never halted as a result of the controversy over the directorship. -- GMANews.TV