A 50-bed capacity hospital to be equipped with state-of-the-art technology will soon rise at Km. 4, La Tinidad, Benguet following ceremonial groundbreaking rites on Sept. 8.
Mayor Romeo Salda and Councilor Bart Baldas graced the groundbreaking rites, which was attended by some of the incorporators and partners of the health facility to be named La Trinidad Medical Center (LTMC).
Construction will commence after the group of investors, who are also healthcare professionals overseas, have completed the regulatory requirements and permits from government agencies and the municipal government.
The site of the hospital is 10 meters away from the national highway and will rise at the area where another group of investors who opted to sell the property, planned to build a healthcare center.
The proposed five-story hospital will house a diagnostic and a dialysis center to cater to patients from different parts of the Cordillera.
The hospital is expected to be operational by the end of 2023 or earlier, according to one of the investors.
Salda has acknowledged the gesture of the investors in choosing the capital town, saying better access to healthcare facilities is necessary in urbanized towns.
He added more healthcare facilities are needed in the municipality, whose population is constantly growing through the years.
The municipality has close to 140,000 population based on the 2020 census. It has the biggest population among the 13 towns of Benguet.
La Trinidad is host to Benguet General Hospital, Cordillera Hospital of the Divine Grace, and Camp Dangwa Hospital, aside from several private health clinics and diagnostic centers.
The establishment of LTMC, Salda said, is hoped to render affordable and quality healthcare services to the people of La Trinidad and from other areas. It will also offer an alternative option for people seeking medical attention.
“There is also a noted increase in number of kidney patients through the years. The establishment of a dialysis center within the hospital will be helpful for the patients,” Salda said. Salda expressed hope other prospective investors will consider the municipality as a site for their business or expansion, saying it remains an ideal place to do business in. – Harley F. Palangchao
