Garcia warns LBP over failure to supply doctors

CEBU, Philippines — Despite LBP Service Corporation’s apparent breach of contract when it failed to provide the needed doctors for the provincial and district hospitals on the agreed outsourcing date, the Cebu provincial government decided not to make a big deal out of it.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said the province did not want to add “unnecessary” turbulence. But the governor gave the manpower agency a stern warning of the consequences of committing the same failure in the future.

"On the appointed day that they were supposed to provide the medical officers and medical specialists, they were unable to. So we decided we will. Ang Capitol na ang mo-hire directly as JOs," Garcia said.

LBP was supposed to provide the Capitol with doctors and medical specialist on October 1 but was unable to do so.

This prompted the Province of Cebu to directly hire doctors for the 14 district and provincial hospitals on a job-order basis.

Garcia said that job order doctors will still receive salaries above the industry standard. As of now, 67 doctors have been directly employed by the province and there remain to be applicants that are yet to be screened by the provincial government.

As of September last year, 443 medical personnel for the 16 district and provincial hospitals and 359 clerical and non-medical personnel have been outsourced from LBP. (FREEMAN)