A hospital with a 50-bed capacity will be built inside the Camp General Macario Peralta Jr. in Barangay Jaena Norte, Jamindan, Capiz under the “Build, Build, Build” program of the government amounting to PHP100.3 million.

“It’s an initiative of our higher headquarters after seeing the needs of their ground forces, including the 3rd ID, that there is a need to construct a new facility enough to accommodate all our soldiers together with their dependents and the civilian population in the area,” said Major Cenon Pancito III, spokesperson for the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) of the Philippine Army (PA), in an interview on Tuesday.

He said the two-story hospital building is a convergence project of the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) under the Tatag ng Imprastraktura sa Kapayapaan at Seguridad (TIKAS) Project to reinforce the capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in providing medical service and security.

He added that the existing one-building station hospital inside the military camp is not enough to accommodate all soldiers of the division that covers Western and Central Visayas.

“While we have enough doctors, we have enough nurses, enough capability in terms of human resource, yet the infrastructure is left behind,” he added.

The hospital, which is expected to be completed within the year, will be for soldiers and their dependents.

In emergency cases, it can also accept civilians from nearby communities.

The nearest hospital is still in nearby Mambusao town, Pancito said.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the project that will stand in the camp’s 2,376- square meter lot was held on July 3.

The ceremony was graced by AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Cirilito Sobejana and hosted by 3ID commander, Maj. Gen. Eric C. Vinoya. DPWH regional director Lea Delfinado was represented by Architect Vicente Rabago Jr. (PNA)