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Senators recommend Manila hospitals
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Posted on May 21 2005
Senate Committee on Health chair Henry H. San Nicolas said his panel would recommend the CNMI’s use of Manila hospitals, citing “excellent” medical services, among others.
Nicolas, who led a fact-finding mission to Manila recently, said his committee would soon release a report recommending the referral of local patients to Manila.
“They’re very different in taking care of their patients. They really take good care of patients,” said Nicolas.
The senator traveled to Manila with senators Luis Crisostimo and Joseph Mendiola. He said he visited St. Luke’s Hospital while his colleagues went to the Makati Medical Hospital and the Asian Hospital.
He said they also met with the Guam medical referral representative in Manila.
The senators are inclined to push for an independent medical referral program office in Manila rather than for the creation of an entirely new Manila liaison office, as proposed in the bill authored by Rep. Crispin Ogo.
San Nicolas said his committee favors a Guam-like medical referral system in Manila.
“We have not touched that bill [of Rep. Ogo]. I believe we don’t really need to pass a law. We may just need to pass a resolution,” said San Nicolas.
He said it would be more economical for the CNMI to hire an agent who would attend to CNMI patients.
Guam reportedly spends up to $120,000 a year for its agent in Manila.
The CNMI used to run a liaison office in Manila, attending to medical referral patients as well as to CNMI-bound workers. The office reportedly spent some $500,000 a year.
