New APH issue sticks like a sore thumb

This issue keeps coming back. I guess it will remain a burning issue until the hospital will serve Abrenians the was it was supposed to.

If you recall, a part of the new hospital was damaged during a storm due to substandard materials. This was back in July 2011.- the story was on our old site – Substandard Construction Blamed on APH Building Collapse

New APH Damaged by storm in July 2011.

The damaged building was since repaired. I saw it for myself back in March this year. But the wall remains untouched.

A user alerted me that the wall is finally being repaired AGAIN to the tune of P14 Million. The user sent mesome snapshots of the on going repair.

How the damaged APH looks today.

Contruction of the Retaining Wall worth P14 Million

This so called “Legacy” by the Governor has been such a roller coaster ride. There were so many contrasting reports. So I decided to get something straight from the horse’s mouth – the governor himself and even the First lady herself. So don’t take my word for it. Read on…these are OFFICIAL news reports by reputable news sources. (I am posting each stories on it’s entirety in case the source link will somehow mysteriously disappear. So bear with me.) You can draw your own conclusion.

First, the construction was completely under the radar until the New APH got damaged in 2011. 

Substandard building construction blamed

By Robyn Alfonso Friday, July 29th, 2011

The partial collapse of a newly constructed hospital building in Abra which brings back the worrisome images of collapsed Ruby Towers in the 1960s is a hot topic amongst overseas Abrenians including Filipino Australians, writes Robyn Alfonso.

The ire of Abrenians living overseas has recently been ticked off by news of the newly constructed provincial hospital having been badly damaged even before it got the chance to open.

damaged_hospital.jpg The gaping back wall of the newly constructed Abra Provincial Hospital was seen in several photographs posted in cyber networks and online forum of overseas Abrenians.

Several threads in discussion groups have been throbbing hot with exchanges as to how the damaged back wall occurred.

Posted photos triggered allegations and suspicions of ‘substandard materials’ used, while others questioned the reliability of design.

On closer look, it appeared however that the damage has been partly caused by the collapse of the rip-rap retaining wall that the building was adjacent to.

The contractor of the damaged building, according to reports, was Glen Eduarte, Mayor of Tayum, a town next to the provincial town capital of Bangued.

The gaping wall exposed a construction lacking in reinforcement, one concerned Abrenian observed.
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Then the Governor assured Abrenians that the Hospital is sound and he will launch an investigation on what happen. He consider this as a priority project (see bold letters). Note This was in July 2011.

Abra gov assures soundness of new hospital building

by Maritess B. Beñas

BANGUED, Abra, Aug. 3 (PIA)- – Governor Eustaquio P. Bersamin assured that he will look into the soundness of the new Abra Provincial Hospital (APH) building currently under construction before it is turned over to the provincial government.

This he made in the wake of criticisms being made after the cribwall of the stonemasonry that is supposed to protect the new hospital collapsed last week.

This incident generated so many negative comments in the social network and the media, not only against the contractors and the provincial engineers who are supposed to be supervising the construction project but to the Governor, he being in command over the implementation of the said infrastructure project which is funded by a loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines.

The Governor urged the people instead to help him ensure that the project be completed efficiently rather than giving so many negative statements that are demoralizing.

He gave his assurance that investigation is going to be conducted within their level because he is for good governance and transparency. He also appealed for the people not take verbal reports ‘because the damage has to be investigated to determine who is at fault and we have to consider many factors surrounding the circumstances.’

“I would like to tell everyone that I am determined to fix everything because I want to finish the project despite what happened. We need this new hospital very badly because as of now, our old hospital can no longer accommodate our sick patients,” he announced.

Bersamin also said that he will make sure the facilities that will be put into the new hospital will all be new as he would not want to bring in the old facilities like beds and anything from the existing APH. (JDP/MTBB-PIA CAR, Abra)
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Septermber 2011, Here’s an interesting piece. The governor declared that the Hospital will be opened at the end of the year (2011). Also, the damaged ripraping was supposed to be repaired by the contractor at his own expense. So why is the construction is now going now (see above photos) to the tune of P14 Million at the expense of the Provincial Government?

New Abra Provincial Hospital to be named “Dr. Luis F. Bersamin, Sr. Memorial Hospital”

September 16, 2011 at 7:25pm

BANGUED, Abra- – The Abra Provincial Hospital Annex Building will be named Doctor Luis F. Bersamin, Sr. Memorial Hospital after the late father of Governor Eustaquio P. Bersamin, who initiated the said project.

The draft ordinance naming the new hospital building which will be inaugurated before the year ends, was presented in a public last September 12.

People who knew the late Dr. Bersamin recall how he served with compassion especially the impoverished Abrenians, for free, not only during his stint as governor but even before and after his term as governor.

There was no objections on naming the new hospital building after the late past-governor during the deliberations. Moreover, the proposal was unanimously voted by the members of the and likewise recommended by the provincial health board.

The SP is now preparing all the documentary requirements set in the guidelines of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines in renaming schools, hospitals and other public structures named after the province or municipality.

Meanwhile, the damaged riprap at the back of the hospital building is already being reconstructed by the contractor at his expense and under tighter supervision of the Provincial Engineer’s Office. *(JDP/MTBB-PIA CAR, Abra
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This gets more interesting. January 2012, New Equipments worth P10 Million was supposedly delivered to the new hospital. I didn’t see anything when I visited the place in March 2013. I did see some boxes at the ground floor. BUT the hospital is not ready. So the Governor again promised that it will open mid-year.

DOH-CAR delivers equipment to new Abra Provincial Hospital

January 11, 2012 at 6:00pm

BANGUED, Abra -– The Department of Health–Center for Health Development – Cordillera Administrative Region (DOH-CHD-CAR) had delivered last week the first set of hospital equipment to the new Abra Provincial Hospital.

Provincial Health Officer Godofredo Gasa announced that delivered equipment costing P10 million include: bio safety laboratory cabinet, two units of laboratory water bath, laryngoscopes, blood pressure monitors, suction machine, electro-cardiograph machine and anesthesia machine.

More medical equipment are expected to be delivered soon. The provincial health office ad proposed to the DOH-CHD hospital equipment worth around P40 million.

In an interview with Governor Eustaquio P. Bersamin, who is instrumental in the construction of the new hospital building, said the new APH building will be opened hopefully within the mid year. This is to make sure the structure is finished and furnished properly and adequately.

The construction of the new APH building was supposed to be finished within the first quarter of this year as earlier projected and programmed, but the completion is delayed due to the damage incurred last year.

Besides, the Governor said they will have to procure the needed facilities and equipments that are needed in the operation of the new hospital.

The existing old APH building will be maintained to accommodate more patients in the future and hopefully the in-patients and out-patients will not have to be occupying the same building and using the same facilities. (JDP/MTBB-PIA CAR,Abra)
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Now the Coup De Grace, “right from the horse’s mouth”  – This new release was taken from the Governor’s Official website. Note here, the Governor is saying that the construction only took 14 months from February 2010. This is not possible considering the cronology of stories above. Is this a typo? or the Provincial Government can’t do math? Also note about the amount of P20 Million and it does include the repairing of the wall. 

Lastly, despite all the money that was poured into this Hospital, The first Lady is going around the U.S. asking for money from Expats for the hospital rooms.

Better health services seen with opening of Abra’s new provincial hospital

BANGUED, Abra—In support of the government’s health agenda called “Kalusugan Pangkalahatan,” Abra’s new provincial hospital finally opened its doors to the public.

Aiming to improve access to quality health-care services in hospitals and other health facilities by the poor and marginalized sectors in the community, the hospital is located at Barangay Calaba in the capital town of Bangued adjacent to the old hospital.

The new provincial hospital is a two-story structure with a floor area of 5,498 square meters and a 170-bed capacity, an improvement from the existing hospital. Aside from new equipment, the new hospital will also receive state-of-the-art CT scan, digital x-ray, x-ray machine and a C-arm.

The construction of the new hospital is funded by a P180-million loan obtained from the LandBank to cover the infrastructure, auxiliary system, taxes and allowable mark. The construction was commenced in February 2010 and completed in 14 months.

Aside from the loan, an additional P20 million was appropriated to cover the completion of the civil works which includes the cementing of the parking lot and access roads, the strengthening of the retaining wall, and the land escape.

To assure continuous service and provision for potable water, the additional amount was able to add up for the installation of a high-tech ultra-filtration water system and a 500-KVA generator including a sewerage-treatment plant, compliant with the waste-management law.

With its soft opening and pending the acquisition of new equipment, the new hospital temporarily serves as extension of the old hospital, housing the private rooms and the wards.

With the support of Abrenian expatriates under the adopt-a-room project initiated by Abra First Lady Ruby Bersamin, each private room has a television set, a refrigerator, and an air-conditioning unit.

Re-elected Gov. Eustaquio Bersamin said the new hospital is in support of the “Aquino Administration’s Health Agenda,” also called “Kalusugan Pangkalahatan” in partnership with the Department of Health to improve access to quality health-care services in hospitals and other health facilities for the poor and marginalized sectors in the community.

The Department of Health approved a grant in the form of brand-new medical equipment for the hospital. –Liza T. Agoot / Correspondent http://www.abra.gov.ph/index.php/art-opener/107-better-health-services
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In addition, there were reports that the PCSO also donated equipment to the New APH. Prompting an inquiry by Carmelita Omli Tagorda on the veracity of the report. Ms. Omli shared us her letter.
Letter to Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office re APH cc DOH