Politician Marching Order: Don’t Invite the Guicos at R1MC

         DESPITE PROV’L GOV’T OWNING THE LAND WHERE R1MC STANDS

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan - Despite the provincial government owning the land that hosts the Regional 1 Medical Center (R1MC) in Dagupan City, a politician instructed the officials of the hospital not to invite the governor and his congressman's father during the opening of its Center for Disease Prevention and Control and the groundbreaking of the Nuclear Medicine Facility.

CUT. (from left to right) Department of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, Dagupan City Mayor Belen T. Fernandez, former House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Pangasinan 4th District Cong. Christopher de Venecia and his mother former Congresswoman Gina prepare to cut the ribbon for the opening of the Center for Disease Prevention and Control at the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City. 

Those who graced recently the occasion were Department of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, Dagupan City Mayor Belen T. Fernandez, Area 1 (Northern and Central Luzon) UHC-HSC, CHD-I Regional Director Dr. Paula Paz Sydiongco, R1MC Medical Center Chief Dr. Roland Mejia, five-time Speaker of the House Jose de Venecia, Jr., former Cong. Gina de Venecia and incumbent Cong. Christopher de Venecia. Gina is seen by political kibitzers to run on the congressional seat to be vacated by her son after the latter ends his nine years' term on June 30, 2025.

Pangasinan Governor Ramon “Monmon” V. Guico III reacted that all the properties built on the two – hectare R1MC are owned and titled to the provincial government and should be named to the Capitol.

“Ang probinsiya andami pong hospital. Sa province pa iyang Region 1 Medical Center. Tapos ayaw kaming imbitahan doon. Nakita ko ang iba sa inyo (reporters who covered the event) andoon. Merong instruction: huwag imbitahan ang mga Guicos. Pero lahat ng inilagay doon sa property sa Arellano, Dagupan City ipangalan mo sa probinsiya kasi ang lupa ay titulado sa provincial of Pangasinan. Legally sa probinsiya po iyon..,” Guico III told reporters in a press conference held Wednesday’s morning at the launching of the Center for the Lifelong Learning (CELL) of the Pangasinan Polytechnic College held at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center Complex in Lingayen.

The governor’s father Pangasinan 5th District Congressman Ramon “Monching” Guico, Jr. launched the Ginhawa Mo, Gets (Gamot, Edukasyon, Trabaho, Serbisyo) Ko Agad Campaign. The campaign aims to strengthen the local government, and provide faster and improved services to the Filipinos. Rep. Guico is also the Vice Chairman of the powerful Commission on Appointment in Congress.

The Civil Code of the Philippines says that “the owner of a parcel of land is the owner of its surface and of everything under it,… (Article 437)” and “he who builds, plants or sows in bad faith on the land of another, loses what is built, planted or sown without right to indemnity (Article 449)”.

The governor told reporters that his administration will be using the property in Dagupan City for his expanding and improving health programs where he just hired last month additional 200 doctors and nurses in order to address the growing needs of his constituents spread in the 44 towns and three cities.

“We have 14 hospitals – 15 technically because the Province of Pangasinan… the property almost two hectares in Dagupan is owned and titled to the Province of Pangasinan. Sa atin iyan. We will be using mga ito (inaudible) regarding that matter,” he said.