Pineda lauds Tumang for hospital

By Joey Pavia

MEXICO, Pamp. --- “I want to make my people feel that they deserve to be in a community hospital at par with the private ones.”
Thus said Mexico Mayor Teddy Tumang as he toured Gov. Lilia “Baby” Pineda at the nearly completed Mexico Community Hospital (MCH) in Barangay San Carlos here recently.
Tumang said the MCH is the first-ever hospital in their town built on local funds. The main building cost P45 million, while the doctor’s and diagnostics’ wing cost P12 million.
“I showed my project to the governor as my share in pushing for a better health service in Pampanga,” said Tumang, whose area is one of the biggest towns in the province with 43 barangays.
Pineda, for her part, said she was “impressed” by the MCH, adding that “I will make it a model for my future projects.”
Pineda vowed to help Tumang raise the P2 million funds needed for the completion of the water pump system at the hospital.
Tumang thanked the governor for helping him meet his target of opening the hospital after two months. He added that the hospital’s soft opening is on October 1.
Tumang said he had visited twice the United States of America (USA) to seek assistance from various foundations and organizations, including George Samson of the World Medical Relief Mission (WMRF).
Tumang said they had spent $11,000 for shipment fees but Samson’s firm “gave us more than that.” He disclosed that the WMRF had given hospital beds, dialysis machines, incubators, modern x-rays, dental care and medicines, among others.