Prov’l Board to probe ‘anomalies’ in RMPH

BY FELIPE V. CELINO

ROXAS City — The Provincial Board will investigate the alleged overpriced medicines and exorbitant professional fees of doctors in the Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital (RMPH).

This was after Board member Remia Fuentes-Bartolome, in her speech during last week’s session, revealed that she was a victim of such alleged anomalies.

“We can do nothing if a physician prefers a particular pharmacy, but why were (these medicines) too expensive?” she was supposed asking.

She also raised the problem on very expensive professional fees of doctors, which were sometimes being collected by a consultant of the provincial government.

Bartolome said she was wondering why the hospital does not issue an official bill for the doctors’ professional fees.

She said they were surprised upon learning that some patients were not released for not paying the doctor’s professional fee.

NO POLITICS
Amid all these, Atty. Jose Villanueva, acting chief legal officer and provincial administrator, said the investigation has neither political nor political inclination.

“It’s purely for Bartolome’s great concern on the plight of poor and indigent patients being treated in the provincial hospital,” he said.

Villanueva recently issued a memorandum ordering Dr. Celini Bauson, RMPH chief, to investigate Bartolome’s allegations.

Based on her report, Bartolome had undergone checkup at the RMPH due to abdominal pain.

However, the report denied that Bartolome’s attending physician demanded for a high fee. It also denied that the Board member was obliged to buy medicines in a particular pharmacy.

Villanueva said the governor is still waiting for Bauson to submit the RPMH’s implementing rules and regulations for a review.

Last year, Gov. Victor Tanco formed a committee to investigate the alleged overcharging of professional fees by physicians in RMPH and other government hospitals in the province.

Tanco has then received complaints that RMPH doctors are violating the provisions of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code and the law governing government economic enterprises.

‘MOONLIGHTING’
During the time of then governor Vicente Bermejo, physicians were allowed to work in private hospitals when they were off-duty. This practice was dubbed “moonlighting.”

They were also allowed to charge professional fees from surgery patients in private hospitals.

A Provincial Capitol official said allowing doctors to privately practice did not mean they can abuse patients by charging exorbitant fees.

The provincial government earlier declared RMPH as one of its economic enterprises.

This means patients would only

 



 
   


Flood hits province anew

BY FELIPE V. CELINO

ROXAS City — Several rice fields in the different barangays in Panitan, Capiz were flooded due to continued downpour.

Residents and farmers of the town sought help after the raging flood swept their stocked rice produce.

Affected residents said they already have nothing to feed their children.

Roads in Brgy. Sublangon, Pontevedra, Capiz were also submerged in flood water.

Some barangays in the municipalities of Mambusao, Sigma and Sapian have also been flooded.

Roads in these barangays were passable after the flood subsided.

In December last year, the flood that hit the province affected about 123 villages and 5,779 families (27,047 persons).

Sigma town had the most number of affected individuals, according to reports from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC).

Worst hit by flood were 20 barangays in each of the towns of Panitan in the 1st District and Dao in the 2nd District, monitoring reports from the PDRRMC revealed.

Three fatalities were confirmed and recorded by the PDRRMC — 10-year-old Gregy delos Santos of Brgy. Dapdapan, Sapian; 15-year-old Richard Diestro of Brgy. Tabuc Sur, Panitan; and an unidentified individual from Dao.

The continuous downpour caused rivers to overflow, flooding low-lying villages in the towns of Pontevedra, Panay, Panitan, Maayon, Sigma, Mambusao, Dumarao, Jamindan, Tapaz, Cuartero and Dao.

A total of 13 villages were submerged in water in Panay and eight in Pontevedra. Sixty-six families from the latter town were brought to two evacuation centers.

In this city, flood hit five barangays, affecting 197 families (885 persons).

The situation prompted Mayor Angel Alan Celino to convene the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to distribute relief goods to the victims.

Upon the request of Pontevedra Mayor Esteban Jose Contreras, the Pontevedra Sangguniang Bayan declared the town under a state of calamity.

A total of 698 families (3,490 persons) were affected by the flood in the town, according to Contreras.
In Mambusao, 15 villages are submerged in water with 658 families affected.

Flood also affected seven barangays in Cuartero, six in Jamindan and two in Tapaz./PN

have to pay for the use of hospital facilities, equipment and services, and indigent patients will be charged of lower fees./PN


(Disclamer)

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