Death and the hospital

By Atty. Antonio P. Pekas

I am referring to the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGH). My wife’s mother got hospitalized there again last week. She did not survive her valiant struggle against pneumonia. As a consolation, had she survived, the chances of her having a joyful life would have been remote. She suffered a stroke January and was still coping with its effects. Then her latest affliction.
The point here was how good she was attended to and treated at BGH. Had she had a fighting chance, she could have made it. The complications though were just overwhelming.
With great anxiety, we waited for the hospital bills. So many medical procedures were performed on her to keep her alive which kept us on edge for days. All to no avail. Had she been in a private hospital, the bills would have broken some bank accounts.
Days before the end, a number of social workers came to interview her children on how the patient was financially and their condition. The children are just getting by with kids in college and in high school.
The social workers informed, since the patient is a charity case, whatever billing that could not be answered by the usual government medical assistance can perhaps be taken care of by the Malasakit Center.
So there was no financial obligation to settle when the patient’s remains were turned over to the care of the ever-knowing funeral representatives. They, in turn, did not ask for any advance payment. They just got on with the necessary procedures. Their make up person even did a very good job in making the face look younger. Her classic Ibaloi beauty came through.
Why was the funeral parlor based in La Trinidad, Benguet so trusting? I got the answer 15 years ago when my father-in-law passed away. The manager said, “aramiden min amin nga dapat maaramid. Sa kayon to agbayad no sumimpan ti situasyon yo.” That meant after the burial.
Again, why were they trusting? The manager said, “ti kakailian tayo nga (Igorots) ket agbayad da nga agbayad.”
The package deal was reasonable. Including the transportation of the remains to Kapangan, Benguet.
On the Malasakit Center, I had been hearing of a lot of people being helped by it in times of medical needs. I could not help but to think Senator Bong Go who conceptualized it has brains.
So whatever sins he committed, if any, when he was serving as the trusted lieutenant of Rodrigo Rua Deterte in Davao City should have been partially compensated for. I will vote for him.
While BGH is not perfect, they are doing a great job there. I can attest to that having been rushed there in critical moments twice already.
The problem is, I am constantly hearing the sirens of ambulances along our residence in Marcos Highway anytime of day. They are bringing critical medical patients to BGH. I later came to know of the reason from a lowlander. “Amin nga emergency cases idiay baba no maospital da idiay ket matay da met.”
I think, considering the gross corruption of politicians there, their hospitals need a lot of improvement to be competent in terms of equipment and knowhow.
And must be eradicated is the palakasan system in the hiring of doctors, nurses and other personnel. Politicians there are known to dip their sticky fingers in the hiring of all employees of government, including hospitals. The result? Good doctors, nurses, etc., shy away. And patients needlessly die.**