The Iloilo Provincial Government (IPG) is set to expand its public health reach beyond provincial borders, as the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) approved a resolution authorizing Governor Arthur R. Defensor Jr. to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Municipality of Anini-y, Antique. a move that will open the doors of the San Joaquin Mother and Child Hospital to referred patients from Anini-y’s Municipal Health Office.
The MOA was endorsed by the Committee on Health and Sanitation, chaired by 1st District Board Member Jo Ann Germinanda, emphasizing that the agreement is consistent with IPG’s mission to deliver accessible, high-quality maternal and child health services and to extend meaningful public health interventions where needed.
Under the agreement, the San Joaquin Mother and Child Hospital, owned and operated by the IPG, will receive patients referred from the Anini-y Municipal Health Office particularly mothers, children, and other vulnerable groups requiring specialized care and hospital-based services.
The initiative is anchored in Section 16 and Section 465 of Republic Act 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, which authorizes local governments to forge inter-LGU partnerships that promote the general welfare and deliver basic services effectively.
The Anini-y Municipal Health Office intends to apply for PhilHealth accreditation under various non-hospital health benefit packages such as the Maternity Care Package, Primary Care Benefit Package, and Animal Bite Center.The MOA with the IPG satisfies the requirement of having a partner hospital capable of accepting and managing referred patients.
With the SP’s approval, the formal partnership between Iloilo and Anini-y is expected to enhance healthcare delivery, particularly for maternal and child health, and strengthen health system integration in the region.
This initiative demonstrates how Iloilo Province continues to be a proactive leader in health governance, championing collaborations that prioritize the welfare of the people.