VIRAC, Catanduanes — Governor Patrick Alain T. Azanza has unveiled a comprehensive plan for the rehabilitation and upgrade of the Eastern Bicol Medical Center (EBMC), which will be carried out in three phases to ensure uninterrupted hospital operations.
According to the governor, EBMC will be transformed into a state-of-the-art, 300-bed tertiary-level medical facility once construction is completed. The full project is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025.
- Phase 1: Construction of the Emergency Room (ER), strategically located near laboratories, X-ray, Ultrasound, and MRI units for faster service.
- Phase 2: Development of the Outpatient Department, low-risk and recovery rooms, and a dialysis center.
- Phase 3: Replacement of EBMC’s 53-year-old main building. This phase will house administration offices, admissions, medical records, Malasakit/PhilHealth/PCSO/DSWD/MAIP Center, chapel, waiting lounge, and canteen.
The third floor of all buildings will be dedicated to confined patients, with separate areas for those with severe or contagious illnesses. It will also include private consultation offices for affiliated doctors.
An initial ₱200 million has been allocated for Phases 1 and 2, with an additional ₱200 million needed to complete Phase 3. Several senators have expressed support and pledged funding for the final phase.
The Provincial Government assures that all Department of Health (DOH) guidelines will be strictly followed throughout the project.
Post-construction, EBMC will feature a medical waste pyrolysis unit to process hospital waste—currently costing around ₱10 million annually for disposal. Plans also include solar power integration and a rainwater catchment basin.
Governor Azanza personally visited EBMC on August 2, 2025, to address long-standing issues. He discovered leaking roofs, clogged restrooms, and over 50 patients sleeping in the lobby while 10 rooms reserved for paying patients remained unused.
He ordered immediate repairs, which the hospital management committed to begin on the same day. The governor also proposed a shift to a multiple consignment system for medicine procurement to reduce costs and avoid conflicts of interest. An organizational review and time-motion study will be conducted to determine the optimal number of Job Order (JO) staff needed.
A day after his visit, Governor Azanza praised EBMC for its swift response, sharing photos of the now-cleared lobby. “This is EBMC’s lobby today, after our visit yesterday and the directive to move patients into their rooms. I commend EBMC for this major improvement,” he said.
However, he emphasized that this is just the beginning. “This is only the first step. There are still patients in the hallways, and the other wing needs attention. More changes are coming,” he added.
Despite the challenges, Governor Azanza expressed optimism about the hospital’s transformation, citing the dedication and hard work of its doctors, nurses, and administrative staff. | via Ferdinand M. Brizo
