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One candidate for mayor of Miagao, Iloilo, is a doctor, the other is married to a former secretary of the Department of Health, but none them plans to build a government hospital. Voters say they want a public hospital in their town.
ILOILO, Philippines – When asked what she wants their next mayor to prioritize, Nadia, 59 and a fruit vendor, answered without hesitation: “Trabaho kag ospital (work and hospital).” She then lamented the inaccessibility of health care facilities in Miagao town, Iloilo.
“Budlay bay, labi na gid kung ang pasyente halin pa sa kaumahan,” she said, adding that even those in poblacion area have to travel to Guimbal or Iloilo City for hospital care. (It’s really difficult, especially when the patient comes from the upland areas.)
Nadia said a public hospital with big bed capacity is long overdue for Miagao. “Maayo tani kung matindog pa gid sila bago na hospital, nang public gid kag damo ang capacity,” she said. (It would be better if they could build a new hospital, one that’s public and has a large capacity.)
Miagao has no public hospital of its own, relying instead on a rural health unit (RHU) and several barangay health stations with limited services. The newly built RHU in Barangay Guibongan is nearly two kilometers from the town center. It has six doctors and nine health workers, offering basic care such as animal bite treatment, dental services, minor surgeries, and prenatal checkups.
For urgent or specialized care, patients are referred to nearby hospitals and must travel up to 40 kilometers to Iloilo City or nearby towns like Guimbal and San Joaquin, where hospital space is often scarce.
For a municipality with a population of over 68,000 people, the current health care worker to population ratio of 1:5000 is significantly short of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation of 4.45 health workers per 1,000 residents.
Just days before the 2025 elections, health care has become central to the candidates’ campaigns. So which candidate has the best promise to solve Miagao’s health care problems?
Napulan’s vision
In his bid become mayor again, Macario Napulan brings health care front and center of his campaign for the 2025 elections.
A licensed physician and former municipal chief executive, Napulan is campaigning on a detailed health agenda that includes the expansion of basic facilities such as 24/7 first aid and birthing clinics, correct and intensified animal bite center and TB treatment programs. His platform also promises the rehabilitation of barangay health stations and a steady supply of essential medicines.
In a campaign address, Napulan said that one of his main priorities is the improvement of public health care delivery.
“Being a doctor, isa sa main thrust ko gid ang delivery sang health services,” Napulan said. (Being a doctor, one of my main thrusts is the delivery of health services.)
Napulan said that during his previous term as mayor, Miagao became one of the first towns in the region to operate a 24/7 First Aid Clinic and regular outpatient department (OPD) services with no cut-off policy. However, he noted that this system appeared to have eroded over time.
“Nanotisyahan ko lang subong nga may mga cut-off na kuno. Limitado na lang ang mga pasyente nga pwede makapakonsulta, tapos pag 12 kuno, halos hindi na pwede mabaton pasyente,” he said. (I’ve recently been told that there are now cut-offs. Only a limited number of patients are allowed to consult, and by 12 midnight, they reportedly can no longer accept patients.)
More than infrastructure, Napulan said there should inclusive and consistent access to services. He pledged that outpatient consultations will not be subject to daily cut-offs, signaling a shift toward more responsive front line care.
Although the proposal for a public hospital is not featured in his campaign flyers or mentioned in his speeches, Napulan and his full slate have expressed firm support for the establishment of a government-run hospital in Miagao.
Garin-tisado Brand
Meanwhile reelectionist Richard Garin Jr. is highlighting his administration’s health care initiatives as part of his campaign. These efforts include the construction of a dialysis center in the town.
The dialysis center, a one-story facility currently under construction, has a budget of nearly ₱15 million and is expected to be functional in the next few months. .
Garin said health care is their top priority, working alongside his wife, Iloilo 1st District Representative reelectionist Janet Garin to secure funding for health infrastructure projects.
Janet Garin was also the former health secretary.
Garin said he envisioned Miagao to be recognized for excellence in health service delivery.
In 2022, discussions were initiated with the University of the Philippines for the potential establishment of a college of medicine in Miagao, which would lead to the development of a community hospital. However, the proposal has yet to move beyond initial talks, and no concrete steps or timelines have been publicly laid out since.
Despite various campaign promises, Miagao residents have observed that the construction of a public hospital remains largely absent from candidates’ platforms.
For example, a tricycle driver who declined to give his name said: “Damo plano pero daw wala man ginbanggit na hospital.” (Lots of plans, but it seems like a hospital wasn’t even mentioned.)
He, like many others, is not concerned about which political side delivers the project.
“Bisan sino sa ila magdaog, basta makapatindog ospital na madali-dali ta adtunan,” he said. (Whoever wins, as long as they can build a hospital that we can easily go to.) – Rappler.com
For many in Miagao, the need for a public hospital is not just a campaign issue. The challenge for the candidates now lies in turning campaign rhetoric into infrastructure, and for Miagao voters to choose the best promise.
