IPIL, ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY, Philippines โ The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has officially upgraded the Maguindanao Provincial Hospital into a Level III facility, now renamed the Bangsamoro Regional Hospital and Medical Center (BRHMC) โ the first of its kind in the region.
BARMM Health Minister Dr. Kadil Sinolinding Jr. led the announcement on Saturday, November 2, saying the newly elevated hospital represents a milestone for the regionโs public health system.
The Winner is the People
โThe winner here is the people, especially the poor,โ Sinolinding said. โEven the poorest of the poor will be able to avail of medical services and will no longer have to say, โI wonโt seek treatment because I donโt have money.โโ
The BRHMC, which now has a 350-bed capacity, received an initial โฑ50 million budget and is set to secure โฑ1.6 billionย funding for further infrastructure and manpower expansion. The hospital currently employs over 200 permanent staff and around 400 job order workers, all trained to deliver specialized healthcare services.
For Sinolinding, the upgrade marks a full-circle moment. โI served as a doctor at the defunct Maguindanao Provincial Hospital from 1991 to 2001. Iโve witnessed its growth and the rising demand for hospital care,โ he said. โNow, it operates at full capacity with 350 beds, far beyond the original 200, because the demand keeps growing.โ
He added that the hospitalโs transformation will lessen the need for patients to travel long distances for specialized treatment. โThis upgrade means our people no longer have to go to Davao, Cagayan, or Zamboanga for advanced care.โ
Ibadah-Friendly Hospital
Today, BRHMC offers a wide range of specialized services, including a 25-bed dialysis center, eye and ENT clinics, laparoscopic and neurosurgery procedures, and orthopedic surgeries.
BRHMC Chief of Hospital Dr. Mohammad Ariff Baguindali said the facility also enforces a zero-billing policy, ensuring that no patient is denied care due to lack of money. โWe encourage everyone to be active PhilHealth members so we can sustain our operations,โ he said.
Beyond its medical capacity, the hospital also takes pride in being an โIbadah-friendlyโ institution โ a design that create to respect and accommodate the religious and cultural practices of its patients.
โOur service is inclusive,โ says Baguindali. โWe are not just creating a health facility; we are creating a sanctuary for healing.โ (with reports from Nonoy Lacson)
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