BALER, Aurora, Philippines — The P594-million Aurora Memorial Hospital (AMH), hailed as the “most elegant government hospital” ever built in the Philippines by the Japanese government, was turned over to the provincial government last Wednesday by its private contractor.
Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo received the certificate of turnover in ceremonies at the lobby of the AMH from Japan International Cooperating Agency (JICA) consultant Hozumi Ogawa, also the project manager of the consortium Azusa Sekkei Co. Ltd. and International Technical Engineering Management (Intem) Consulting, and Yoshihisa Hatano, project manager of the Toyo Construction Co. (TCC) which was tapped by JICA to build the project.
Turned over to the provincial government were five buildings with a total floor area of 3.969 hectares, namely the 1.5-hectare administration and emergency room building, operation and delivery building, ward building, service building and ancillary buildings.
Shingo Imai, general manager of TCC-Philippines, said the AMH is by far the “most beautiful government hospital” ever built by the Japanese whose buildings, facilities and equipment are at par, if not better than, other modern hospitals in Metro Manila.
“This hospital is of very good quality and comparable to the best hospitals in Japan,” he said.
The turnover was also witnessed by Toyo administrative officer Shinsuke Yamaguchi, consultant’s representative Yasuhiro Matsumoto and representatives of Toyo.
Ronnie Andal, Toyo chief civil engineer and safety manager, said construction of the hospital buildings took one year and involved a labor force of 630 people, 70 percent of whom came from the province.
The Japanese were welcomed here by provincial health officers Dr. Luisito The, Dr. Raul Tomboc and other provincial officials.
Last week, Nissei Trading Co. Ltd. medical equipment supplier Nobutomu Tanaka turned over P57-million worth of various types of dental, physical therapy and radiology equipment.
The hospital was built through a P509-million grant-in-aid from JICA and P85 million in counterpart funding from the provincial goverment.
Alipio Tuzon, Angara-Castillo’s executive assistant, said the hospital was a fulfillment of a promise made by the governor when she first assumed office in 2004 when she vowed that the province would have a brand-new hospital funded out of a grant and not from a loan.
Tuzon said the hospital project marks the first time that a local government unit in the country paid for the value added tax (VAT) and customs duties for the hospital equipment and facilities.
“Normally, VAT payments are deferred and paid for by the national government. The provincial government of Aurora took pains to pay P85 million for VAT and duties just so the project will be realized,” he said.
The AMH is a brainchild of Sen. Edgardo Angara, who donated the land, Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, Angara-Castillo and Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura.