21/03/2026
Thank you, Cong. Mercedes Alvarez, for your kind words and for your commitment to improving healthcare for our fellow Negrenses.
Your initiative to maximize our existing district hospitals and link them with the DOH is both timely and forward-thinking.
I share your optimism about this proposal, and I welcome the opportunity to work with you, the DOH, and all stakeholders to ensure that this initiative translates into better, more responsive healthcare for our people.
Let us continue to find ways to bring quality medical services closer to every Negrense—mas mapalapit, mas madasig, kag mas maayo para sa tanan.
Abanse Negrense!
"The Department of Health (DOH) is requesting Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson to allow the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) to operate the Merceditas J. Montilla District Hospital (MJMDH) in sipalay City as an annex facility. Lacson, on Wednesday, March 18, said he would give the proposal serious thought. ‘I think it's a good idea,’ he said." - Digicast Negros 3/19/26
STATEMENT OF REP. ATTY. MERCEDES K. ALVAREZ
Back in September 2025, during the 2026 budget deliberations with the Department of Health, I raised a simple but important idea: to make better use of our existing district hospitals by linking them with higher-level regional hospitals. At the heart of this is not only improving basic services, but also ensuring that mental health care becomes more accessible to our people.
In this light, I warmly welcome the Department of Health’s proposal to allow the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) to operate the Merceditas J. Montilla District Hospital (MJMDH) in Sipalay City as an annex facility.
This is a meaningful step forward. It allows us to breathe new life into an existing facility, strengthen it through proper supervision, and bring quality care closer to our communities. For many families, this means shorter travel, quicker access, and a better chance at timely treatment.
For MJMDH, this transition opens new possibilities. It will continue to grow into a more responsive and capable facility—one that can serve not only general medical needs but also address the quiet and urgent need for mental health services in the area.
I am deeply grateful to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson for his openness and support. His willingness to work collaboratively reflects a shared commitment to do what is best for our people.
Moving forward, I will carefully study and work on the legislative measures needed to support and sustain this initiative, so that this partnership can grow stronger and continue to serve our communities in the long term.
Sa ulihi, ang importante amo gid ini: mas mapalapit ang serbisyo medikal sa aton mga kasimanwa—mas dasig, mas maayo, kag mas abot-kaya. Amo ini ang direksyon nga dapat naton padayunon, para wala sang may mabilin sa pag-angkon sang maayo nga healthcare ❤️