COTABATO CITY — Officials on Wednesday launched the Bangsamoro Regional Hospital and Medical Center (BRHMC) in Datu Hoffer town in Maguindanao del Sur, the largest and first-ever well-equipped hospital in the autonomous region.
The BRHMC was established through the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act (BAA) No. 74, authored by lawmakers Kadil M. Sinolinding, Jr., the lawyer Sittie Fahanie U. Oyod and the civil engineer Baintan A. Ampatuan.
The BAA Act 74 was approved by the 80-member Bangsamoro parliament on May 26.
BARMM’s deputy health minister, Zul Qarneyn M. Abas, Ms. Ampatuan, Ms. Uy-Oyod, representatives of the region’s chief minister, Abdulrauf A. Macacua, the chief of the Integrated Provincial Health Office-Maguindanao (IPHO-Maguindano), Mohammad Ariff A. Baguindali, and other members of the parliament together led Wednesday’s launching of the BRHMC.
The event, also attended by provincial officials from Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte provinces, was held at the compound of the IPHO-Maguindanao, where the 52-year-old Maguindanao Provincial Hospital is located.
“The setting up of Bangsamoro Regional Hospital and Medical Center is a big help for residents of the Bangsamoro region. We are grateful to the Bangsamoro parliament for having established this,” said the physician Mr. Baguindali, who, as IPHO-Maguindanao chief, shall also oversee the BRHMC.
“We are also thankful to the chief minister of the Bangsamoro region, who leads the regional parliament, for having signed into law, without hesitation, the approved bill that enabled the creation of this hospital,” Mr. Baguindali said.
Mr. Sinolinding said the Ministry of Health-BARMM, which he is managing as health minister, shall support the operation of the BRHMC extensively.
Ms. Ampatuan told reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of the BRHMC that the facility will have an initial P50-million budget from the region’s coffer for this year.
“The succeeding allocations for its operation shall be included, by phases, in the annual appropriations for the expenditures of the regional government,” Ms. Ampatuan said.
Mr. Baguindali said the BRHMC will operate on a “zero billing policy” for all of its patients. — John Felix M. Unson