• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
After being designated as the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Senator Risa Hontiveros made her first visit to a government-run hospital at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in Bacolod City on Friday, September 19.
Hontiveros met with the administrators of CLMMRH to discuss the hospital’s role as the apex referral center for the Negros Island Region and its continuing efforts to improve access to quality health care.
“I’m so glad that my first visit to any government-run hospital was made here at the CLMMRH, which is a backbone of our universal health care system,” Hontiveros said during a press briefing, expressing her happiness as the committee chair on health and demography.
Among the agenda discussed were the updated status of CLMMRH’s ongoing and proposed infrastructure projects, including major facility upgrades and expansion works designed to enhance patient services, and the budget proposal for the year 2026.
After the discussion, Hontiveros toured several areas of the hospital to observe the condition of its facilities personally, and to interact with patients and staff to determine the issues faced by the patients under the current situation.
The senator said that her observation will serve as the committee’s basis and guide to determine if the health care services and facilities they are providing are efficient.
“I will bring this [observation] to the Senate Committee on Health. [To determine] how we can support the service delivery network for our public health system,” she stressed.
CLMMRH, under the leadership of Medical Chief Dr. Joan Cerrada, expressed gratitude to the senator for her support and advocacy for improved health care delivery and for taking the time to engage with the hospital community and its patients.
Hontiveros disclosed that the CLMMRH will turn a century old by next year.*
