Breaking Ground: Guiuan RHU

Guiuan Mayor Sheen Gonzales, BSPMC Floro Cabusora (green shirt partly hidden), DSWD8 RD Resty Macuto and ADB Philippines Country specialist Su Chin Teoh shovel up to ceremonially break the ground at the (re)construction site of Guiuan RHU1 located at Poblacion 8, with other guests and officials looking on as witnesses 

03FEB2015. "A one-of-a-kind Rural Health Unit [RHU], something different, something better", said newly appointed DSWD8 Regional Director Resty Macuto earlier today, at the ceremonial ground breaking on the rehabilitation/repair of RHU1 in Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

Together with RD Macuto, Ms. Su Chin Teoh, Asian Development Bank (ADB) Philippines Country Specialist was present to grace the occasion. She revealed to everyone that this RHU, costing more than P17million, has so far been the biggest budgeted Yolanda-related sub-project implemented by DSWD Kalahi in region 8 with funding from the Japan Fund For Powevert Reduction.

In her message, Ms. Teoh, on behalf of ADB and the Government of Japan, congratulated everyone present, for cooperating to come up with one singular project for the benefit not only of the whole town but even of nearby communities - "we can do several small projects per Barangay, but together we can build a big project that is really really useful to all". She thanked everyone for working together as "without working so hard, there wouldn't be such a beautiful sub-project". She further told everyone she'd be back April 30, 2016 (expected sub-project completion date), to see if the structure and its facilities are up and running!

The modernistic facility, as described by Architect Vanessa R. Ayllon will have a vast lobby to fit the many patients expected daily. It will also have a pharmacy that will be open 24/7. A unique child-friendly immunization area is also featured, that will have educational/play facilities with separate entrance and exit, so that kids won't get traumatized hearing other children wail after the vaccinations! A modernistic dental clinic, a midwives' station and even a conference room will be part of the many facilities.

The Mayor on his part, did not only thank the Donor (ADB JFPR in behalf of the Government of Japan) and DSWD, but he also echoed Architect Ayllon and RD Macuto's descriptions, that this facility will benefit the residents of island-barangays and far-flung mountain communities as there is provision for a "halfway house" at the second floor that will serve as a dormitory if and when they cannot yet go to their homes for various reasons such as incliment weather. All these he said, came to fruition because of Guiuan's unity.

The program:

photo credits: Lala Ruiz, Marlowe Popes, Jonathan Esperas