Patients from the defunct Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Hospital were transferred here to be the pioneer occupants of the brand new wards of Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center (ZDSMC) located at the Provincial Government Center, Dao, Pagadian City. Cerilles called a joint meeting with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Provincial Health Board and the ZDS Medical Center (ZDSMC) Management Team in order to address crucial concerns relative to the operationalization of the new medical center. Department of Health Assistant Regional Director Edgardo Gonzaga and PhilHealth Regional Director Edgardo Faustino were present to divulge more advantages of having a tertiary hospital. Congressmen Victor Yu and Tony Cerilles joined Vice Governor Roy Ariosa and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Board Members and the members of the Provincial Health Board and ZDSMC Management Team. In her opening message, Governor Cerilles expressed gladness and gratefulness that her administration’s landmark project is finally operational. “As an upshot of the completed and approved 5-year Province-wide Investment Plan for Health (PIPH), various funding supports and programs are now gradually coming in to the province,” she remarked. She thanked the Provincial Health Board for coming with resolutions and endorsemens to the SP as a pre-requisite to PhilHealth and DOH regulatory requirements. She likewise wholeheartedly commended the SP for their vital legislations that safeguard the legality of putting up the modern 100-bed health facility through a bond flotation. Special accolades she also extended to the ZDSMC Management Team for responding the various issues and concerns so with the DOH for the technical and financial support provided to the province. Moreso, to her husband, congressman Tony who was all the way backed her big dream to come true.
“Certainly this medical center gives flesh to our vision of making it a center for excellence in health care and training that integrates promotive, preventive and responsive holistic curative tertiary health services. Cerilles hopes that by 2009, this health facility can already operate as tertiary hospital after having met all the DOH requirements. Cerilles has Dr. Atilano Ocampos as chief of the medical center and Dr. Corazon Silla-Ariosa her Provincial Health Officer who supervises health services across the province. The ZDS Medical Center was inaugurated by no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in time of the 56th Founding Anniversary of the Province last Sept. 17. ZDSMC.
