“The project is actually part of PCSO’s gift to the public for its 75th year of existence, thus, it has offered [...]]]> Cagayan de Oro City (4 September) — An estimated 125,000 beneficiaries in region 10 are expected to be served by the “100% Barangays-in-One” Project of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Sunday, September 6.

“The project is actually part of PCSO’s gift to the public for its 75th year of existence, thus, it has offered to conduct a nationwide medical, dental and feeding mission to all the country’s 42,000 barangays, simultaneously, in one day,” said Mario S. Pelisco, Chief Lottery Officer of PCSO, Misamis Oriental.

In the case of region 10, all its 433 city and 1,590 municipal barangays or a total of 2,023 barangays from its five (5) provinces and eight (8) cities are expected to be served by about 172 medical doctors, 210 nurses, 21 pharmacists and 15 dentists.

These medical practitioners who have volunteered to take part of the project are expected to serve at least 121,400 medical, 2,100 dental and another 1,500 feeding patients.

Pelisco also said 21 co-referral hospitals (CRH) have been positioned in 23 cluster centers of the region where there are government hospitals to serve the laboratory examinations and diagnostic procedures needed by indigent patients.

Meanwhile, he said, a total of 500 boxes of medicines have already been sent to the following CRH’s, as of August 24, 2009, to make sure that the medical / dental / feeding mission can start at 8:00 in the morning on September 6:

Bukidnon – Bukidnon Provincial Hospital in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon Provincial Medical Hospital in Malaybalay City and Bukidnon Provincial Hospital in Maramag.

Camiguin – Catarman District Hospital in Catarman and Camiguin General Hospital in Mambajao.

Lanao del Norte – Kolambugan Provincial Hospital in Kolambugan, Lanao Norte Provincial Hospital in Baroy, Kapatagan Provincial Hospital in Kapatagan and G.T. Lluch Memorial Hospital in Iligan City.

Misamis Occidental – Calamba District Hospital in Calamba, Misamis Occidental Provincial Hospital in Oroquieta City, MHARS Regional Teaching & Training Hospital and S.M. Lao Memorial City General Hospital in Ozamiz City and Doña Maria D. Tan Memorial Hospital in Tangub City.

Misamis Oriental – J.R. Borja General Hospital and Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) in Cagayan de Oro City, Gingoog General Hospital in Gingoog City, Talisayan District Hospital in Talisayan, Medicare Community Hospital in Balingasag and in Manticao, as well as Initao District Hospital in Initao. (PIA 10)

KANIADTO pa problema na gyud kaayo ang kahimtang sa JR Borja Memorial City Hospital. Busa, di gyud ta matingala kon mag-ulhos og pang-resign ang mga doctor.

Kaniadto pa nagsubwak ang mga pasyenti pero gamay ra ang mga doctor nga moatiman busa kon dunay [...]]]>

J.R. Borja General Hospital, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City / Photo by JR

KANIADTO pa problema na gyud kaayo ang kahimtang sa JR Borja Memorial City Hospital. Busa, di gyud ta matingala kon mag-ulhos og pang-resign ang mga doctor.

Kaniadto pa nagsubwak ang mga pasyenti pero gamay ra ang mga doctor nga moatiman busa kon dunay pasyenti nga makabsan nalang sa kinabuhi tungod sa kakuwang og pagtagad, dili na gyud ta matingala ana.

Kaniadto pa nagkuwang og tambal ug uban pang supply sa ekipo, busa kon mograbe ang sakit inay maayo ang pasyenti, dili ta matingala ana.

Kaniadto pa gitinguha nga itugyan nalang ang pagdumala sa tambalanan gikan sa local nga kagamhanan ngadto sa nasudnong pangagamhanan, apan hangtod walay nahitabo.

Karon, nagbaniog na ang pagpang-resign sa mga doctor sa maong hospital. Unsa may option sa city government aron mapugngan kini ug mapadayon ang pag-atiman sa mga pasyenti.

Dunay gitanyag nga solusyon si Kongresista Rufus Rodriguez sa Segundo distrito apan gibaliwala sa pamunoan ni Mayor Constantino “Tinnex” Jaraula.

Ang tanyag ni Rodriguez mao ang paghiusa sa JR Borja Memorial City Hospital isip extension sa Northern Mindanao Medical Center.

Isalindot nato ang politika niining sitwasyona. Tan-awon daw nato ang bentaha.

Naproybahan na, ubos sa pagdumala sa city government walay nahimong kalamboan ang city hospital – inanay nga nagkaguba ang edipisyo, kuwang og kahimanan, demoralize na ang mga doctor ug mga personnel sa hospital. Sa laktod dugay nang napabayaan ang panginahanglan sa tambalanan.

Sa offer ni Rodriguez, dili pod nato maseguro nga mapundohan ba gyud ang city hospital unya mapalit ang mga panginahanglan paghimo nga modernong hospital.

Kon atong tan-awon ang NMMC, nagkulang pa man gani sa iyang mga kahimanan ug personnel.

Kining problema sa city hospital nahitabo usab sa ubang siyudad sa Pilipinas.

Nahibaw ko nga nakahibaw atong mga namunoan unsaon pagsulbad niining klase sa problema. Pero, hangtod nga dili gyud bation niining mga politiko, administrador, ug mga opisyal sa gobiyerno, ang kalisod sa doctor ug mga pasyenti diha sa publikong tambalanan, magpabilin gyud ang maong suliran.

Hinaut ko lang nga makigkompetensya na atong gobiyerno sa pribadong tambalanan aron makita nato unya ang kahapsay, epetibo, ug kamoderno sa publikong hospital. Opinyon Sun.Star

As we care for our patients,

We learn how to cover our sorrow with a smile

We learn how to stay vigorous despite of all the tasks that we endure

We learn how to give hope eventhough our’s are unclearly seen

We learn how to give strength even at times we are [...]]]> I realized that being a doctor is incomparable

As we care for our patients,

We learn how to cover our sorrow with a smile

We learn how to stay vigorous despite of all the tasks that we endure

We learn how to give hope eventhough our’s are unclearly seen

We learn how to give strength even at times we are the ones who are weak…

Nobody would know what kind of life a doctor has…

Unless he/she become one…

Regional Health Officer emphasized that a person should have a healthy diet, avoid fatty and salty foods, avoid smoking, having enough rest and keeping a clean and [...]]]> The Regional Health Office campaigns for healthy lifestyle for everyone to maintain healthy body, sound mind and body to prevent dreaded diseases like cancer, stroke, diabetes among others.

Regional Health Officer emphasized that a person should have a healthy diet, avoid fatty and salty foods, avoid smoking, having enough rest and keeping a clean and sanitary environment.

RHO is training representatives from various offices that will in turn teach the Hataw actions/movements in their respective offices. RHO is also distributing CDs with music of Hataw exercises to ensure participating agencies will have a fun time and relaxing moments every afternoon.

Dr. Irene Casino attended the said training program and in turn teach our hospital staff and personnel. Hataw Exercises are held every 4 in the afternoon in front of the hospital and sometimes at the hospital lobby.

Exercise can be an important tool for managing everything from stress and depression to healing injuries and preventing disease. The merits of exercise — from preventing chronic health conditions to boosting confidence and self-esteem — are hard to ignore.

On Hospital Supplies:

The City Hospital through Dr. Jerie Calingasan made “Emergency Purchases” which are not emergency in character. Among the hospital [...]]]> The pillage goes on and on and on. Not only were the irregularities found in the purchases of medicines and medical supplies, but also in spending for hospital supplies, equipment and apparatus. Consider the following:

On Hospital Supplies:

The City Hospital through Dr. Jerie Calingasan made “Emergency Purchases” which are not emergency in character. Among the hospital “purchases” was a repair of a Toyota Tamaraw FX and a Kia Besta Ambulance which costs P131, 200.00. The money for the “purchases” allegedly came from the pocket of Dr. Calingasan and the vouchers show that he was reimbursed of the amount he supposedly “advanced”.

There were also purchases of hospital supplies, among others, eight (8) kilos of detergent powder at a price of P11,500.00 or an outrageous amount of P1,437.50 per kilo. A detergent powder like Tide could only be purchased at P70.00 per kilo. Meaning, the said detergent powder was purchased 2,000% more than its ordinary price.

For the year 2006 and part of 2007, Dr. Calingasan was reimbursed the amount P855, 939.17 purportedly due to the “advances” he made to the hospital. Where did he get his money? It surely is a lot more than his salary for the entire year.

On Hospital Equipment and Apparatus:

From February 2006 to July 2007, the hospital purchased Medical Equipment and Apparatus at an overwhelming amount of P14,025,000.00. An X-ray machine was purchased at P6,500,000.00, the capabilities of which is so limited that in the market, it did not even command a price of P3,000,00.00.

The surgical table which is unbranded or the so-called universal type barely costing P400,000.00 was purchased at P1,240,000.00. The price is clearly tripled at the expense of the taxpayers’ money.

The hospital also purchased an Anesthesia Machine in the amount of P1,985,000.00 which had since been malfunctioning and did not perform the desired function as expected, thereby endangering the lives of the patients. Upon proper scrutiny, it would show that this anesthesia machine was also highly overpriced.

So many anomalous transactions were entered into by the hospital prejudicing the coffers of the city. All these transactions, however, are shown in the vouchers appended in the Affidavit-Complaints. Payments were made through the approving officers of the City Hall namely: City Administrator Criscelda Joson, City Treasurer Lino Daral, City Accountant Wilma Rugay, City Auditor Olivia Flores and the highest approving officer then, City Mayor Vicente Y. Emano.

One is inclined to ask, is the city hospital truly a gift to us people of Cagayan de Oro? Or is it a curse that condemns our health rather than promote it?

In the statue of the late Mayor Justiniano R. Borja, the last lines go:

“I have learned that the only immortality, the enduring and permanent things in a transient world, are truth, honor, decency and courage; And those who build their lives upon these intangibles of spirit, build upon foundations that can never be shaken by any force on earth.”

Truth, honor, decency and courage. I admire the few brave hospital employees who adhere to these “intangibles of spirit”. The corrupt leaders of the city and the hospital will one day realize that they are mortals and that their malevolent acts will forever remain in the memory of the living.

Thus, we pray in this Christmas season, a season of hope, that each one of us bestows gifts that will not be forever wasted… gifts of the intangibles of the spirit such as kindness to our fellow Cagayanons. Merry Christmas! BATIN’S BANTERS: By Atty. Manuel Ravanera

The JR Borja General Hospital (Cagayan de Oro City Hospital) employees and staff are very much excited when Republic Act No. 7305 “Magna Carta of Public Health Workers” will soon be implemented in our institution.