Mayors Rommel dela Torre of Magsaysay and Emil Neil Neri of Linapacan are asking the provincial government to put health services in their municipalities at the top of its list of priorities.
Dela Torre and Neri said they are particularly seeking the intervention of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in the allotment of budget for the establishment of a hospital and provision of a sea ambulance in their town. The two mayors talked about their worries, saying that their towns, which are on remote islands off the coast of the province, don’t get enough health care.
“Nakita nyo naman yung kalagayan namin, nasa isla kami, kung may mga problema ang hirap iparating dahil magko-cross ka pa ng dagat,” dela Torre said.
“Ang unang-unang problema talaga namin kasi, you have to cross the sea pag pupunta ka sa bayan ng Magsaysay. Ang malaki naming problema talaga diyan ay every time na mayroong typhoon o disaster, ang tagal makarating sa amin ng programa o tulong ng gobyerno,” he added.
Dela Torre also expressed confidence that the provincial government will pay them more attention following the recently concluded Usapang Palawan Summit. He said he sees that all municipalities, big or small, will now be given equal treatment.
“Nakita na rin namin na kahit maliit na munisipyo lang kami, ang tingin ng provincial government ngayon ay pangkalahatan na—lahat talaga ng munisipyo, maliit man o malaki ay talagang part talaga ng Palawan,” he said.
He also said he wants the towns of Cuyo, Agutaya, and Magsaysay to be given attention and get solutions that the three towns will eventually benefit from.
Nakita natin sa mga pag-uusap, sa mga plano na inilatag ay magkakaroon na rin, Nagpapasalamat ako na unti-unti, yung mga munisipyong maliliit ay napapansin at nabibigyan ng karampatang solusyon yung kanilang mga problema kasi kahit maliit lang, kung hindi mo bibigyan ng pansin, lumalaki yan at kapag lumaki na, mahirap nang i-repair,” he said.
Inaasahan ko na si gov. ay magiging masigasig sa pagpapatupad ng mga inilatag na programa ngayon. Sana maramdaman na namin talaga sa Magsaysay especially yung problema namin sa health,” he added.
Neri, for his part, said he is urging the provincial government to fast track the delivery of necessary health equipment to Linapacan, adding that delivery of health services is one of the factors that will determine the success or failure of a government.
Asked if there are other programs that he wants to be prioritized, he stressed that at this point, the health sector is the one that needs attention.
“Hindi lang kasi request yun, kasi yun ay obligasyon ng provincial government. Pinapaala-ala lang naming sa kanila na sana, mapondohan na yun ngayon at hindi sa susunod pang taon. Nagulat nga ako kasi kung napansin nyo sa presentation ang daan-daang milyon yung ibang ospital na meron na, tapos kami na wala pang ospital ay kami pa yung nani-neglect. So nananawagan kami sa provincial board na i-consider ito at maibigay yung aming pangangailangan,” he said.
“So far, sa health sector talaga ang kailangan naming i-address dahil yun ang wala kami. Kasi kahit anong gobyerno, kung saka-sakali na hindi maayos ang health system, kahit gaano kayaman ang Palawan, failure ang isang gobyerno kung hindi maide-deliver ito,” he added.