Bacolod city: The city government has formalized its partnership with the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) for the establishment of the Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) Plus Center, the first-of-its-kind in the Negros Island Region (NIR). Mayor Greg Gasataya and Dr. Joan Cerrada, hospital chief of CLMMRH, signed a memorandum of agreement for the initial five-year operation of the healthcare facility on the city-owned property in Barangay 14, during a ceremony at the Bacolod City Government Center lobby.

According to Philippines News Agency, the BUCAS Plus Center will initially have a 15-bed capacity and will offer telemedicine services along with a treatment hub for human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Dr. Cerrada expressed gratitude towards the city government for their support in providing the necessary infrastructure for the center’s operations, highlighting the benefits for patients and healthcare workers alike.

Mayor Gasataya announced that the construction of the BUCAS Plus Center is funded with PHP50 million and is expected to be completed in nine months. He assured that the implementation would proceed swiftly to enhance the health services available to the people of Bacolod.

Health Undersecretary Mary Ann Maestral stated that the Department of Health (DOH) will supply the equipment and manpower required for the BUCAS Plus Center. She underscored the importance of barangay health workers (BHWs) in facilitating the operations of the facility, noting their role as vital connectors to the community.

Bacolod City Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who initiated the proposal for the BUCAS Plus Center during his term as mayor, remarked that the facility aims to alleviate congestion in the CLMMRH emergency room and improve access to urgent medical care.