The Department of Health (DOH) will establish a mental hospital and drug rehabilitation facility in southern Negros to expand access to specialized mental health care and substance use treatment in the Negros Island Region (NIR).
The proposed institution, to be called the Merceditas J. Montilla Mental Hospital and Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center, will be the first of its kind in Negros and Siquijor.
On Saturday, the DOH formally accepted the donation of a 30,000-square meter lot for the site of the twin healthcare facility in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental in a ceremony held at Park Inn by Radisson here.
Undersecretary Mary Ann Maestral signed the deed of donation on behalf of the DOH together with the donor herself, Negrense philanthropist Merceditas Montilla, in the presence of Officer-in-Charge Assistant Secretary and Regional Director Razel Nikka Hao and Dr. Joan Cerrada, medical center chief of Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH).
“We hope to deliver the best possible services to the people of NIR. We look forward to the establishment of the training program and the mental health crisis center, which will further strengthen our capacity to provide responsive and quality care to those who need it most,” Maestral said.
Montilla said her donation aims to contribute toward creating greater opportunities for individuals and families who need mental health and rehabilitation services.
“I want to fully support the DOH’s programs in my own way. I believe donating this land is one way I can contribute to improving the health and well-being of our people,” she said.
The CLMMRH in this highly urbanized city will be tasked to manage the center, highlighting the importance of partnerships between the government and private individuals in addressing healthcare needs.
“The establishment of this future mental hospital and drug treatment and rehabilitation center will be our first tangible step toward making the dream a reality in bringing much-needed services closer and more accessible to the people we serve,” Hao said. (PNA)
