Completion of Ifugao Gen Hospital pushed

LAGAWE, Ifugao -- The regional project monitoring committee (RPMC) and Ifugao provincial government are pushing completion of the only hospital in this capital town within the year.

Allegations of irregularity had been reported about the construction of the Ifugao General Hospital which is already 10 years in the making.  

This time, RPMC team led by National Economic Development Authority Cordillera regional director Milagros Rimando with Ifugao officials led by Gov. Jerry Dalipog and Vice Gov. Glenn Prudenciano and regional representatives from the Departments of Health and Public Works and Highways Ifugao First District Engineering Office inspected construction of the IGH buildings here on March 2.

The RPMC initiated the inspection to look at the structural retrofitting being done at the main building of the IGH and ensure the structure will be fit for occupancy following recommendation of a third party assessment by a structural engineer that additional strengthening measures were needed to ensure stability of buildings.

 Dalipog thanked the RPMC for including the IGH in the monitoring of projects and vowed to work closely with the DOH, DPWH and other agencies to complete the hospital.

The DOH has implemented more than P60 million for completion of the upper and lower ground floors while the provincial government is targeting another P50 million budget for completion of the second floor in the next quarter.

More than P20 million is also being added by the provincial government for the recommended works to ensure the structural capability of buildings.  

                The RPMC has been conducting project inspection and validation of the hospital building since it started in 2009 following issues on the implementation of Phase 1 of the project by the provincial government of Ifugao and Phase 2 and 3 implemented by the DOH through the DPWH.

In December last year, the DOH conducted a third party assessment by structural engineer Joselito Buhangin on recommendation of the RPMC in an earlier inspection.

The assessment indicated the need to implement additional retrofitting and strengthening measures to ensure that the structure will be more resilient against lateral loads especially from seismic activities.

                “The proposed additional strengthening measures using shear walls have been designed so as not to interfere with carbon fiber retrofitting installed on columns and beams and has been designed around it.

It is important that carbon fiber is not punctured during the strengthening process.

In the absence of a soil test report, the design of the shear wall footings was based on an assumed soil pressure which can be verified from actual construction and modified accordingly,” in the report.

Rimando thanked the provincial governor for personally joining the inspection and for allocating funds and other support and commitment to ensure that the hospital will be realized and will serve the people of Ifugao.

                The construction of the IGH has been proposed as early as 2008 under the hospital facilities enhancement program of DOH.

                The estimated budget for the completion of the new IGH is P328 million to be released in tranches. (JDP/RMC- PIA CAR)