The Ziga Memorial District Hospital (ZMDH) in Tabaco City will soon become a 250-bed hospital facility from its present 50-bed capacity.

This is assured when House Bill No. 7355, authored by Rep. Edcel C. Lagman of the First District of Albay, was approved on second reading on March 21, 2018 by the House of Representatives.

The bill is expected to be approved on third and final reading upon resumption of sessions after the barangay elections on May 14, 2018.

The Lagman bill will also make the ZMDH an extension of the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH) to make it a recipient of modern medical technology transfer and accord it national funding.

A long aberration will likewise be corrected when the Ziga Memorial District Hospital will be appropriately renamed “Dr. Lorenzo P. Ziga Memorial District Hospital” to singularly honor the late Representative Lorenzo P. Ziga who conceptualized the establishment of said hospital.

The Secretary of Health is directed under the bill to include the implementation of the mandated improvement of the hospital in the Department’s program like sourcing needed funds from the Facilities Enhancement Fund.

Consequently, there will be funding for the hiring of more medical professionals and personnel, upgrading of their salaries, acquisition of modern medical equipment and facilities and expanded hospital infrastructure development.

EDCEL C. LAGMAN