The Eastern Visayas Medical Center (EVMC) formally opened on Monday a veterans’ ward inside the regional hospital complex in this city.
The facility called “Captain Nievas Fernandez Veterans Ward” was named after a resident of this city who was a teacher-turned-guerilla and one of the lesser-known World War II heroes.
The veterans’ ward is funded by the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO).
“Inauguration of this ward was held in November 2024 but the management has to wait for the permit from the Department of Health (DOH),” EVMC information office chief Roby Peñalosa said.
The facility has 15 beds exclusively intended for the use of World War II veterans, Korean War veterans, Anti-Dissident Campaign veterans, and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) retirees, including their qualified dependents who need hospital treatment or confinement.
“Those who will be admitted at Veterans Ward, their finances will be shouldered by the PVAO, on top of PhilHealth and other subsidies from the government,” Peñalosa added.
Veterans and retirees including their dependents must present proper identification documents issued by PVAO or the AFP to avail in-patient care.
This is the fifth veterans’ ward created in the country as mandated by Republic Act 6948 and amended by Republic Act 7696 creating the Veterans Hospitalization and Medical Care Program (VHMCP), by establishing veteran wards in all DOH-retained hospitals.
Other similar facilities in the country are in Cagayan de Oro, Batangas, Dagupan, and Davao cities. (PNA)
