Albay hospital struggles with leaking, overcrowding, power woes

GMA Network

2 days ago

Buckets to catch leaks, soaked floors, overcrowded rooms, and no electricity. This is the daily reality faced by staff and patients of the Pio Duran Memorial District Hospital (PDMDH), the lone public infirmary hospital catering to residents of Pio Duran, Albay and nearby areas.
Nurse II and Ward Supervisor Joane Romero shared the dire situation in a Facebook post, showing buckets scattered around the old hospital building to catch rainwater leaking from a damaged roof.
'Aside sa hindi na safe ang building due to flooding, pahirapan din talaga ang pag-evacuate sa mga patient and also the staff,' Romero wrote.
Romero said the old facility is inundated regularly by rainwater due to its poor condition.
During storms or heavy rains, the hospital is forced to evacuate patients to a new facility nearby, one that is still under construction and not yet fully operational.
'Kapag may bagyo at sobrang lakas ng ulan, nag-e-evacuate talaga kami sa bagong hospital. Ang problema, hindi pa ito fully constructed kaya nagsisiksikan lahat sa isang kwarto — bata, matanda, bagong panganak, kahit 'yung mga naka-isolate,' Romero told GMA Regional TV News.
PDMDH is officially an infirmary-level hospital with a capacity of only 25 beds, yet they often admit far beyond that.
'Like now 40 po ang patient namen,' Romero said.
The situation becomes even more difficult during emergency transfers.
'Pahirapan po mag-transport ng pasyente kasi wala pa pong gamit dito sa bagong hospital, at wala pa kahit kuryente,' she said.
While transferring patients to the new site takes only about 10 minutes by vehicle, referring critical cases to bigger hospitals such as Josefina Belmonte Duran Albay Provincial Hospital (JBDAPH) in Ligao or the Bicol Regional Medical Center (BRMCH) in Legazpi can take one to two hours, which is time that can be critical for patients in distress.
Despite the current limitations, hospital administrators say help is on the way.
Cleo Mangente, PDMDH's Officer-in-Charge and Administrative Officer, said they aim to relocate fully to the new hospital site in Barangay Caratagan by 2026.
The plan also includes upgrading the hospital's classification from an infirmary to Level 1.
'[We're] planning that next year we can finally transfer... for the safety of the patients, especially during calamities [such as] typhoons,' Mangente said.
'We will work on upgrading the equipment, and convincing doctors render their services to us,' she added.
The hospital's large catchment area, covering patients from Pio Duran, Ligao, and parts of Masbate and Sorsogon, adds to the pressure for an expanded, fully functioning facility.
However, aside from the unfinished structure, another major concern is the unreliable power supply. Mangente confirmed that the hospital suffers from daily low-voltage issues, which affect equipment usage.
'Yes, [outages are] very frequent, on a daily basis… We are using the genset during peak hours so we can at least run essential equipment and prevent breakdowns,' Mangente said.
PDMDH remains the only inpatient public hospital in the municipality, and its staff are hoping their appeal will reach local leaders, especially newly elected officials.
'Medyo matagal na po [naming dinadala 'to]... Sana po makaabot na sa ating new governor, 'yung concern namin dito sa Pio Duran since solo-ng hospital po ito na nag ca-cater ng inpatient,' Romero said.
Albay Governor Noel Rosal earlier acknowledged that the province's healthcare system is in "dire need" of improvement.
Following his official return to the governorship, Rosal vowed to prioritize health services as part of his broader efforts to "rebrand Albay."
In a Facebook post dated June 3, 2025, Rosal said he visited JBDAPH. He said it is a major provincial project funded through a P1.2 billion loan.
He said the project has been delayed for too long and vowed to make it operational by October 2025, so the public can benefit from the province's major investment.
'Grabe na delay kaini. Gigibuon ta ang gabos, mapadalagan ta na ini. Target ta on or before October 2025 para mapakinabangan ta na dakula ining investment kang Albay,' he wrote.