Guiuan, Eastern Samar gets new health center

GUIUAN, Eastern Samar, June 22 (PNA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) turned over the newly-constructed rural health center to the local government here.

Funders rehabilitated the center through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services or KALAHI-CIDSS, a poverty alleviation program of the national government.

DSWD Secretary Corazon Soliman, ADB Country Director Richard Bolt and Guiuan Mayor Christopher Sheen Gonzalez lead the inauguration of the building on Tuesday.

The health center will serve 564 households and almost 50,000 residents of Guiuan town. It is also a birthing clinic for pregnant women living within the town center.

The facility costs about PhpP17.4 million through a grant from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction and Php1 million local counterparts.

Soliman characterized the center as the product of convergence of all concerned agencies nof the government led by the local government unit, the DSWD and their partner organization that provide as link in providing assistance to the people.

“Foremost reason why this happened is the testimonies of our volunteers saying that they need bigger, pleasant and effective health center. That is why convergence is important for us to deliver immediately what is needed by our people,” said Soliman.

Soliman added that with the local government ready to provide medical and health services needs of the people in Guiuan, this will strengthen the prevention illnesses.

She added that the government had always been listening to what the people needs and involve them in looking for solution to the problem like what the KALAHI-CIDSS has been doing.

“This is not a project of the government or of the DSWD or of the ADB or of the JFPR. This is a project of the people, of the community and we only act as link for its materialization,” Soliman stressed.

ADB Country Director Bolt described the successful implementation of the rehabilitation project as manifestation of strong commitment and spirit of Guiuan people.

“This project is implemented through community participation and we see the community active participation in post-disaster recovery not only in ensuring the completion by themselves, but it also shows the capacity of volunteer involve in ensuring credible financial process and correct implementation of the project,” Bolt said.

The challenge now, according to Bolt is for the local government unit to ensure the maintenance of the facility.

Gonzalez on his part, expressed his gratitude to the assistance that the DSWD has provided to his town from the relief to recovery works after the devastation of super typhoon Yolanda on November 8, 2013.

“The LGU cannot do this alone, but because of partnership with the national government and foreign partners, we are able to achieve the fulfillment of this project and we are able to recover faster than what we expected,” Gonzalez added.

On the same day, Soliman and Bolt also led the turnover of Php27 million worth of boat garage and Php12 million worth of classrooms also under KALAHI-CIDSS. (PNA)
PGL/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA/EGR