KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato — Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. on Monday made it clear that the expansion of district hospitals is the backbone of South Cotabato’s sustained free hospitalization program.
Tamayo said upgrading facilities in Norala, Polomolok, and Koronadal City is not merely an infrastructure project but a structural reform designed to protect the province’s healthcare system from overcrowding and declining service quality as admissions continue to increase.
For years, most major services were centered at the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital, placing immense pressure on a single institution.
In response, the provincial government strengthened the Norala District Hospital in the 3rd District and the Polomolok Municipal Hospital in the 1st District to ensure a more balanced and accessible delivery of care.
“Kung iisa lang ang paglalagyan ng programa, mapupuno talaga ang provincial hospital. Kaya inilapit natin ang serbisyo sa bawat distrito,” Tamayo said, stressing that decentralization is key to efficiency, faster patient processing, and smarter resource use.
A major milestone under this strategy is the launch of a hemodialysis unit at the Polomolok Municipal Hospital, a development that now allows patients in the 1st District to receive life-sustaining treatment closer to home instead of traveling to Koronadal City or shouldering costly services at private centers.
Tamayo described the move as a concrete step toward equal access to specialized care, reducing travel expenses, cutting waiting times, and easing the financial strain on families.
With critical services now distributed across district hospitals, the provincial hospital in Koronadal is expected to experience sustained decongestion, paving the way for faster admissions, less crowded wards, and more focused attention on emergency and complex cases.
Supporting these infrastructure gains is the institutionalization of “health navigators,” frontline personnel who assess patients before hospital admission, assist with documentation, and ensure proper referrals to the right facility, preventing unnecessary overcrowding in major hospitals.
Construction and modernization projects remain ongoing across key health facilities, reinforcing the administration’s position that healthcare is central to economic productivity and social stability.
Through strategic expansion, upgraded services, and a strengthened referral system, the provincial government is building a more resilient healthcare network , one that secures the long-term sustainability of free hospitalization for every South Cotabateño.
