KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato — Residents of South Cotabato will soon no longer need to travel to Davao City or Cotabato City for specialized medical treatments. In his State of the Province Address (SOPA) delivered today, Governor Reynaldo Tamayo, Jr. announced the landmark establishment of a state-of-the-art Heart and Cancer Center as part of the provincial government’s massive modernization of its healthcare system.
The specialized center will be integrated into the massive expansion of the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital (SCPH), which is currently taking over the site of the former Productivity and Technology (ProTech) Center.
Governor Tamayo detailed that immediately following the completion of the ongoing 5-story hospital building, the province will swiftly transition to expanding its specialized facilities, which includes the addition of more advanced operating rooms and a larger Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
“The introduction of these highly specialized treatments serves as a crucial component of the administration’s flagship free hospitalization framework,” Gov. Tamayo said.
Tamayo recalled that upon assuming office, one of his absolute priorities was to institutionalize a direct, accessible, and completely free healthcare delivery system.
This vision culminated in South Cotabato becoming the first province in the country to successfully implement the provisions of the Universal Healthcare (UHC) Act, driven by its acclaimed “best practice” of pooling institutional resources to sustain the local health fund.
“When we committed to the Universal Healthcare Act, our absolute goal was to eliminate the financial burden of sickness from our people. We proved that through the proper pooling of our resources, a local government can fully fund the healthcare of its constituents. This upcoming Heart and Cancer Center is the realization of our promise that quality, highly specialized tertiary care should be a right for every South Cotabateño, completely free and accessible without traveling across regions,” Governor Tamayo declared during his address.
A prime milestone of this pooled healthcare strategy is the province’s fully functional network of dialysis centers.
While the governor initially promised to establish a single reliable facility back in 2020, the province now operates three fully functional dialysis centers strategically located across key areas: the Norala District Hospital, the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital, and the Polomolok Municipal Hospital.
Reacting to the governor’s report, Koronadal City Mayor Erlinda “Bing” Pabi-Araquil praised the milestone address, noting that the administration’s aggressive healthcare and education policies have drastically altered public service standards in the province.
“Free hospitalization has left an indelible mark from the Tamayo administration. Out of all the programs, the completely free hospital services, accessible medical treatments, and the free education program are what the grassroots community truly felt and appreciated the most. Dinig at damang-dama ng bawat ordinaryong mamamayan ang pagkalinga ng gobyerno sa kanilang kalusugan at kinabukasan,” Mayor Araquil stated.
To further optimize healthcare delivery, Governor Tamayo also laid out the legislative roadmap for a dedicated city hospital in Koronadal.
Over half of the daily admissions at the congested SCPH consist of patients originating from the capital city itself. By pushing for the construction of a distinct Koronadal City Hospital, the provincial government aims to significantly decongest the provincial hub and shorten waiting times for all patients.
The governor confirmed that the initial funding for the Koronadal City Hospital has already been secured even before former Mayor Eliordo Ogena administration, and all other pertinent regulatory documents are currently being processed to fast-track its construction.
“We have already secured the initial funding required to establish the Koronadal City Hospital. Because more than half of the patients clogging our provincial hospital come from the capital city, building this new facility will directly lessen the influx of admissions, allowing both the city and the provincial governments to serve our people with the dignity, speed, and comfort they deserve,” Tamayo said in a previous interview.
