PhilHealth 12 new building to rise at Soccsksargen regional center
GOVERNANCE/POLITICS • 11:45 AM Thu Jun 27, 2019
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By:
Hanah G. Naanep/PhilHealth 12 information office
Koronadal City Mayor Peter B. Miguel (left of center in full green shirt) and PhilHealth Area Vice President Dr. Clementine Bautista (right of center) during groundbreaking program.
KORONADAL CITY -- “If it is meant to be, it will be. I believed this lot is meant for PhilHealth.”
With these words Koronadal City Mayor Peter B. Miguel led the ground breaking ceremonies for the new building of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in the Soccsksargen region at the regional center here last week.
Miguel said the slot where the new PhilHealth edifice will rise was originally donated to Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) but was aborted.
“Being in the forefront of all the other Regional Government Offices in the area, you will be the next “face” of the Prime Regional Center,” Miguel told PhilHealth-12 officials, led by PhilHealth XII Acting Regional Vice President (ARVP) Marjorie A. Cabrieto; PhilHealth Area Vice President (AVP) for Mindanao Dr. Clementine A. Bautista; PhilHealth Region XI Acting RVP Atty. Ma. Emily P. Roque, CPA and PhilHealth Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Acting RVP Dr. Sainuddin M. Moti and other key officers and personnel of PhilHealth XII.
“It matters if you have your own space. There might be challenges going on internally but I believed that PhilHealth will last. I am sure of that because the foundation is there already,” Miguel said.
“The new law that is coming up is in consonance with the direction of good health care that our government is claiming of. We are pushing for a strong health program here in the locality and it will raise the bar as far as health programs and activities are concerned,” Miguel added. “Mabuhay ang PhilHealth!” he said.
The 2,089 square meter lot donated to PhilHealth XII, had its Deed of Donation and Memorandum of Agreement signing 10 working days prior to this ceremony.
Bautista appreciated the generosity of the city government. In behalf of the corporation, she committed to deliver more of what is expected by the member from PhilHealth.
“In this site will soon rise PhilHealth XII Regional Office which I believe will house about 300 employees where we would serve our kababayans in the area,” Bautista said.
“This seems to be a very good location since it is in the forefront where other relevant government agencies are. Thank you very much for considering PhilHealth to be the one given this lot. We are looking forward to a better quality service for our members and stakeholders especially now that we are about to implement the universal health care law,” the AVP said.
Cabrieto was more than grateful since within her first 100days as ARVP in the Region, she has convinced the city mayor for the lot donation.
“Everything has changed when your Acting RVP came to the office and asked for the need to have your own lot. It’s just in time when I am about to leave my post as the city mayor,” Miguel added.
PhilHelth Management Services Division (MSD) Chief, Merlie C. Sabug narrated the story of how PhilHealth XII came in the Region.
“We were just once at the 2nd floor of Vinzu Bldg., Nat’l Highway, Gen. Santos City in 1998. We stayed there for a year. Then we moved here in Koronadal since this was declared to be the Regional seat of all government offices. Our first office was in Siyambio Bldg. It housed the first Regional Office in the City. We stayed there for 5years from 1999-2004. Next, we moved to Plaza de Español Bldg. We stayed there for 13 years from 2004 – 2017,” Sabug narrated.
Currently, PhilHealth 12 office is located at the CSA1 Building, corner GenSan Drive and Zulueta Street, Koronadal City. It will stay there until the new building at the regional center is completed. (Hanah G. Naanep)