By Ma. Teresa Montemayor | Philippine News Agency
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa on Friday reported to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) the status of the Department of Health’s (DOH) ongoing investigation on non-functional Super Health Centers (SHCs) nationwide.
During the meeting, Herbosa disclosed preliminary figures, showing the status of 878 SHCs funded under the Health Facility Enhancement Program from 2021 to date.
Of the figure, 365 are under various stages of construction, 196 are operational, 17 are partially operational, and 300 are non-operational.
In a statement released after Herbosa met with the ICI, the DOH said these figures are subject to further validation and investigation, in coordination with the commission.
The department also outlined the next steps it will take jointly with the ICI to ensure transparency and accountability in implementing the program.
It said it would continue case building for the non-operational SHCs, which, based on the list, increased from 297 to 300 facilities.
The ICI, in turn, will support the continuation of investigations to be led by the DOH.
Moreover, the DOH will activate the Citizens Participatory Audit to allow the public to report issues concerning the SHCs.
Since the investigation was made public, the department has received several reports from citizens regarding facilities that remain idle or unfinished.
Earlier this week, Herbosa investigated the Concepcion Dos SHC in Marikina and the Antipolo SHC.
DOH data showed that the Concepcion Dos SHC in Marikina was originally funded with P21.5 million under Phase 1 of the national SHC program, but it remains unfinished and overgrown with weeds.
Initially planned as a two-story primary care facility, the project was redesigned by the local government into a four-story structure with a rooftop, raising the total cost to P201 million.
Meanwhile, the Antipolo City Government had requested and received about P11.4 million in funding for the Antipolo SHC, divided into two phases—P6.4 million for Phase 1, completed in October 2023, and P4.9 million for Phase 2, completed in July 2024.
The DOH also delivered P7 million worth of medical equipment to the local government in 2022 and 2023 to help make the facility operational.
Herbosa said the DOH is committed to ensuring that all government-funded health facilities become fully functional.
