The Bacolod City Council has approved a resolution calling on the City Health Office, through the Office of Mayor Greg Gasataya, to allocate additional funds for the City Health Pharmacy and extend the same to the various barangay health centers.
The measure aims to guarantee the purchase and free distribution of commonly used and maintenance medicines for indigents and the city’s priority sectors, specifically the unemployed, senior citizens, persons with disability (PWD), pregnant women, children, fisherfolks, and ordinary laborers.
Authored by Councilor Caesar Distrito, the resolution underscores the constitutional duty of the State to promote and protect the right to health of every citizen, as enshrined in Section 15, Article II of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, and reiterates the mandate of Republic Act No. 7160 (Local Government Code of 1991) assigning cities the responsibility to deliver essential health services to their constituents.
Distrito noted that the City Health Pharmacy currently provides free medicines to indigent patients, but that existing funds and supplies are often inadequate to meet the increasing demand for maintenance and essential drugs, particularly among patients suffering from chronic illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes.
“The right to health must be made real and tangible to every Bacolodnon, especially those who cannot afford their daily maintenance medicines. This resolution seeks to strengthen the city’s health delivery system by ensuring that free medicines are not only available at the City Health Pharmacy but also in every barangay health center,” said Distrito.
The measure also emphasizes that these medicines must be distributed strictly free of charge and not for sale, to ensure that assistance directly reaches those most in need. By extending the allocation to barangay health centers, the program will decentralize access to essential medicines, making them more accessible to residents in distant communities.
“Through the support of Mayor Greg Gasataya and the City Health Office, this initiative will help alleviate the burden on our marginalized sectors. It reaffirms our shared commitment to making health services inclusive, equitable, and sustainable for all,” Distrito added.
The approved resolution is part of the City Council’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Bacolod’s healthcare system and uphold the welfare of its most vulnerable sectors, consistent with the city’s thrust to promote health equity and social protection.*
DISASTER RESPONSE PLANS
The City Council also approved a resolution authored by Distrito urging the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to make sure that Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies and other large private establishments have comprehensive emergency and disaster response plans, in line with the Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS) under the Labor Code.
Distrito said the measure seeks to protect thousands of workers, particularly in BPOs that operate 24/7, from risks during earthquakes, fires, and other disasters.
“The safety and well-being of employees should always come first. Companies must have clear, tested, and regularly updated emergency and disaster response plans to safeguard their workers, especially in high-occupancy workplaces like BPOs,” Distrito stressed.
The resolution came in light of the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu in September 2025, after reports surfaced that some BPO employees were required to return to work in buildings with uncertain structural integrity.
“This incident shows the urgent need for stronger enforcement of workplace safety standards. DOLE must ensure that employers are ready and accountable when emergencies happen,” Distrito added.
Under the approved resolution, the City Council requests DOLE to ensure that all BPOs and large companies have approved and regularly updated Emergency and Disaster Response Plans and Establish a monitoring and compliance mechanism to verify that these plans are implemented, regularly tested through drills, and strictly followed during actual emergencies.*
