Gov. Gwen Garcia and Bogo City Mayor Carlo Jose Martinez led the inauguration of the newly completed extension building at the Cebu Provincial Hospital in Bogo City (CPH Bogo) on September 26, better equipping the hospital to offer much-needed services to the residents of northern Cebu.
The new extension building is named after the late fourth district Board Member Horacio “Raci” Franco who, before his untimely passing two years ago, was instrumental in securing funding support for the facility from the offices of Sen. Risa Hontiveros and six of her colleagues.
Board Raci was literally going from one senator’s office to another, asking them to contribute their resources for the realization of the project, until Sen. Hontiveros believed in him and supported his cause.
“This huge infrastructure, this legacy, is the most fitting testimonial to the jewel of a person that Raci was,” Gov. Gwen said in her speech. “Let no one forget that once there lived a man who dedicated his life to the fourth district of Cebu. That man has left this lasting legacy behind,” the Governor added.
The new hospital building cost at least P363 million — P342.4 million of which came from the funds of Sen. Hontiveros and her colleagues, namely: Sen. Koko Pimentel, Sen. Loren Legarda, and Sen. JV Ejercito; as well as former senators Sonny Angara, Kiko Pangilinan, and Bam Aquino.
The new building has raised the bed capacity of CPH Bogo from 100 beds to 226 beds, greatly capacitating it to offer better and wider services, especially that the Department of Health had elevated the accreditation status of CPH Bogo to Level II in July this year.
Gov. Gwen said all the needed equipment and additional medical personnel that will man the hospital building will be provided for by the Provincial Government, which runs 16 provincial and district hospitals in total.
Board Raci passed away on September 23, 2022 without seeing to completion the work that he started. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed his wife, Minuel Carmela Franco, as his replacement at the Provincial Board.
“To be honest, I wasn’t at all confident that I would see this project completed. Every time I asked about project updates, nobody could give me a straight answer on when it would be completed,” Board Raci’s widow, Carmela, said.
“But it took one phone call in March to ensure that things would get done. Gov. Gwen, thank you for making it happen, thank you for your persistence, and thank you for making it possible for me, together with Raci’s friends and family, to finally see his passion project come to fruition,” she added.
The construction started in 2018 but was greatly delayed by the pandemic. While it was scheduled for turn-over in March 2025, its completion was fast-tracked as Gov. Gwen was growing impatient with the delays and put pressure on the contractor to finish the much-needed facility on an earlier date.
“I was deeply moved by [Board Raci’s] persistence. He fought for his advocacy. He never got tired, and he never let anything stop him, not even his own health. I have no regrets for believing in him and saying yes to do this life-changing project,” Sen. Hontiveros said during the ceremony. | JMT
