THE Region 1 Medical Center’s (R1MC) five-storey eye center building and cancer center in Bonuan Binloc in Dagupan City are set to be inaugurated in November.

Dr. Roland Joseph Mejia, R1MC hospital director, said the high-tech equipment from the Department of Health in Manila are expected to arrive in time for the inauguration.

The cancer center, the first one to be established in Region 1 with complete anti-cancer treatment equipment, is located in Barangay Bonuan Binloc beside the Treatment and Rehabilitation Center.

The cancer center, will also have a three-storey dormitory to accommodate patients from as far as Ilocos Norte.

Mejia added that under construction at the R1MC is the regional center for mental health that will serve patients in Pangasinan and from northwest quadrangle of Luzon, and the geriatric center that will be equipped with dialysis machines.

He said R1MC had been identified as geriatric center of the north.

The more important development next year, according to Mejia, is the construction of the 11-storey building in compliance with Republic Act 10614 authored by then Fourth District Rep. Gina de Venecia seeking to expand the bed capacity of R1MC from 300 to 600.

Mejia said this became certain after De Venecia and her son, Rep. Christopher de Venecia, talked to Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial last week and get the commitment to start the first phase of the construction whose budget would be included in 2018.

In a separate interview with the young de Venecia, he said the project must be implemented soon despite legal issues that hounded it involving former Health Secretary Enrique Ona.

“Luckily, we (De Venecia mother and son) were assured by Secretary Ubial that phase one would be implemented in 2018. We hope this would be continuing to finish it in three years’ time,” the young congressman said.

A five-storey multi-level parking would also be built with access to the main building, Mejia said. (Eva Visperas)

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