PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. yesterday ordered the opening of the Marawi City General Hospital (MCGH) in August, a month earlier than its target opening, to ensure that city residents, along with communities from surrounding areas, can access and receive immediate healthcare services.
“We are giving the contractors and all the government agencies a deadline of August to open the hospital and serve the public,” Marcos said after visiting various government projects in Marawi City and checking on their current status.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the President had ordered the expediting of the final stages of construction, which include painting, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical works.
Marcos said the three-story hospital has at least 100 beds and is expected to serve over 207,000 residents of Marawi and nearby municipalities in Lanao del Sur.
The President was briefed by Dr. Sulpicio Henry Legaspi Jr., Director IV of the Department of Health (DOH), on the hospital’s capabilities, ongoing construction projects, and the remaining steps needed before the facility becomes fully operational.
Legazpi said the hospital’s construction was scheduled to be completed by September 2025, followed by the hiring and training of medical staff.
The MCGH is a level 1 public healthcare facility that was established in Marawi City following the 2017 siege.
The project was implemented in two phases, with phase 1 — which has a budget of P51.98 million sourced from the Office of the President — focused on land development, which was completed in September 2022; and phase 2, which has a budget of P293.6 million, covers the construction of the hospital itself.
It was constructed by the Department of Health–Center for Health Development Northern Mindanao (DOH-CHDNM).
MORE PORTS
The President, during his inspection of the newly completed P261 million Marawi City Port, directed the construction of additional ports around Lake Lanao to enhance connectivity among the 18 surrounding municipalities and boost local economic activity.
Marcos said he is aware of the importance of having a functioning port around Lake Lanao and the current Marawi City Port will not be enough to accommodate the expected port traffic from travelers to product trading and deliveries.
“Here at the port, we know how important it is to the surrounding 18 municipalities that are around Lake Lanao. And so, this is the first of several ports that we will construct,” he said.
“If it is just this one, there is no connectivity; it cannot be used because there is no place for the ship to go. So, we will put others around the lake so that our connectivity is good,” he added.
He also ordered the expediting of the setting up of utilities in some parts of the port, such as water supply, which is now being worked out in partnership with the defense department.
The Marawi City Port passenger terminal can accommodate around 130 passengers, while the cargo section can handle both fishery and agricultural products coming to and from Marawi City.
The construction was funded by the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) under the then Task Force Bangon Marawi while the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) contributed to the design and implementation of the project.
Lake Lanao is the second-largest freshwater lake in the Philippines and plays a vital role in the socio-economic and cultural life of the Maranao people.
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Lake Lanao’s water is used for generating hydroelectric power, supplying 70 percent of Mindanao’s electricity, and supporting fisheries, agriculture, and tourism.
SOLDIERS’ WELFARE
Before concluding his visit in Marawi, the President met with the members of the 103rd Infantry “Haribon” Brigade under the 1st Infantry Tabak Division of the Philippine Army stationed at Kampo Ranao, Marawi City, and promised them that the government would look into reforms in the provision of standard combat allowance for soldiers.
Under Executive Order 03, s. 2016, the combat allowance of soldiers shall not exceed P3,000 a month, which is on top of the combat duty pay of P3,000 per month.
“We will study the different schemes in the provision of combat pay,” the President was quoted as saying in a press release issued by the PCO.
Marcos also assured the soldiers of his administration’s commitment to ensure their welfare and that of their families, including reviewing the current health insurance and educational scholarships for soldiers’ children.
He also vowed to provide immediate action and long-term solutions to the concerns and challenges faced by the soldiers within the 42-hectare military camp, including infrastructure limitations, logistical constraints, and service gaps that affected operations and personnel welfare.
The soldiers raised their need for a proper barracks and rest areas, the unfinished multi-purpose building and visitor holding area, as well as garbage trucks to aid in their camp maintenance, water supply for camp operations and medical support.
They also asked for enhancements in night fighting capabilities, including night vision goggles and a stronger Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) system.
