LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – This province’s caretaker congressman Eric Go Yap said Thursday he has filed a bill reverting the Benguet General Hospital (BeGH) to the national government’s control and increase its bed capacity from 200 to 400.
In filing the bill, Yap said he wants to improve the facility, as well as service with the staff receiving much better pay.
Yap said he is saddened with the low pay of nurses, whom he said, receive a Salary Grade (SG) 9 when they should be receiving at least SG 15.
An SG 9 employee gets PHP17,975 and an SG 15 gets PHP32,000 under the new salary grade scheme.
Yap said he has already talked with Governor Melchor Diclas, a physician, who is amenable to his proposal.
“Walang gustong gobernador na ibigay sa national government ang Benguet General Hospital, except Gov. Diclas (No Benguet governor wanted to have Benguet Gen nationalized),” said Yap, adding that the Department of Health (DOH) also welcomes his proposal.
The BeGH was first opened to the public in 1971 under the supervision of the DOH.
In 1993, due to the passage of the Local Government Code in 1991, operation and management were devolved to the province. From a 50-bed hospital facility, the BeGH was made into a 200-bed capacity in 2000.
Yap is on a three-day stay here that included meetings with La Trinidad, Benguet-based Team Lakay whom he promised to give a gym of their own, check on the hospital and a meeting with the Department of Public Works and Highways on what projects must be implemented.
Then, he will meet with the Department of Agriculture on how his office could help implement farm-to-market roads.
He will also meet with the mayors of the 13 municipalities, and the Police Regional Office-Cordillera as he tries to maximize his stay in the province to have a better look at what the province needs as its caretaker-congressman. **By Pigeon Lobien
