With less than two weeks before she formally assumes the governorship of Palawan, Governor-elect Amy Alvarez is setting the tone for her administration with an early move to consult health officials on the province’s most persistent challenges in public medical care.
In what she described as one of her administration’s “unang hakbang,” Alvarez sat down with chiefs of hospitals under the Provincial Government of Palawan (PGP) to listen directly to concerns surrounding staff shortages, limited medical supplies, and systemic inefficiencies in service delivery—issues that have long hampered health care in one of the country’s most geographically complex provinces.
“Mahalaga sa akin ang direktang pakikinig sa mga usaping kinahaharap ng ating mga ospital—mula sa kakulangan ng gamit at tauhan, hanggang sa mga oportunidad para sa mas mabilis at mas maayos na serbisyo sa ating mga kababayan,” Alvarez said in a public statement following the meeting.
The consultation, held as part of her transition preparations, signals a shift toward participatory governance, with Alvarez emphasizing that sound planning must be grounded in the lived realities of frontline healthcare workers.
“Hindi sapat ang magandang plano kung hindi ito nakaangkla sa tunay na pangangailangan,” she said.
Although the governor-elect did not yet unveil concrete policy directives, insiders described the meeting as “strategic” and “solution-seeking,” with hospital administrators providing both immediate recommendations and long-term proposals. These include streamlining procurement processes, addressing workforce distribution in far-flung municipalities, and upgrading medical equipment in satellite hospitals.
Alvarez, who ran and won on a platform promising transparent, pro-people leadership, said the dialogue was just the beginning of a wider effort to revamp the provincial health system.
“Buong puso kong pinakinggan ang kanilang mga hinaing at suhestiyon. Sa tulong nila at ng buong PGP health team, magsisimula tayong buuin ang mas inklusibo, mas epektibo, at mas makataong sistemang pangkalusugan para sa bawat Palaweño,” she added.
The meeting has been received positively by several observers, who noted that such early engagement with key sector leaders is not standard practice among incoming officials. Many are hopeful that the effort will translate into sustained collaboration between Capitol leadership and on-the-ground medical institutions.
Palawan’s fragmented geography has long complicated the delivery of healthcare services, with hospitals in remote towns often operating under constrained budgets and logistical difficulties. The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed these vulnerabilities, intensifying calls for structural reform.
Alvarez is expected to take her oath of office and begin her term on June 30.
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