MALASIQUI—Third District Rep. Rachel Arenas said she will endorse a resolution of the city council of Dagupan asking Congress to rename the Region 1 Medical Center in honor of the late Health Secretary and Pangasinan Governor Secretary Francisco Duque Jr.

Arenas said she was approached by Dagupan officials asking her to make the endorsement even as other city and municipal councils, as well as the provincial board, are reported to be adopting a similar resolution seeking the renaming of the hospital into Francisco Duque Memorial Medical Center.

Councilor Jesus Canto of Dagupan City said as Health Secretary under the administration of President Diosdado Macapagal, Duque pioneered the Medicare, predecessor of the present Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

Duque is the father of current Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and Atty. Gonzalo Duque, president of Lyceum-Northwestern University and a former vice governor of Pangasinan.

Arenas, who is on her first term as congresswoman, is already one of the biggest benefactors of R1MC. She recently set aside P1 million from her Priority Development Assistance Fund (CDAF) to bankroll hospitalization expenses of her constituents in the third district.

She urged her constituents, particularly the indigents, to make use of the fund if they get sick and are confined at the R1MC.

Saying that the health of her constituents is one of her priorities, the congresswoman said she also allotted funds for the same purpose at the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital in San Carlos City and the Bayambang District Hospital.

Meanwhile, Arenas distributed checks last Saturday to pay for the second semester tuition fees of some 200 college scholars from San Carlos City, Malasiqui, Bayambang, Santa Barbara, Calasiao and Mapandan.–LM

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