• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
“Health is not a privilege, but a right that every Negrense must access, afford, and feel,” stressed Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson.
In his speech during the Provincial Leadership and Governance Program (PLGP) Colloquium and Universal Health Care Summit 2026 held on Tuesday in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, Lacson emphasized that a successful healthcare system relies on a network where every unit is connected and responsive to the realities of residents’ lives.
He credited good governance and the province’s governance program for strengthening the health system, noting that the PLGP has been a strong contributing factor to the improvements.
The governor reported that within 20 months, the province expanded and licensed its primary care facilities from zero to 24. The increase, he said, translates to greater access and essential care for every resident.
The summit gathered local health leaders and stakeholders to assess progress and reinforce commitments to universal health care in the province.
In her speech, Health Undersecretary Mary Ann Maestral lauded the Provincial Health Office for expansion from zero to 24 Licensed Care Facilities (PCFs).
The DOH, through Negros Island Region Center for Health and Development and the Provincial Health Teams will work closely with you to ensure that these PCFs are not just licensed- but fully functional, adequately staffed and consistently delivering quality services, Maestral said.
The establishment of PCFs in 31 municipal and component cities in Negros Occidental, aims to decongest patients in government hospitals.*
