Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has sounded the alarm over nearly P15 billion worth of incomplete or unused Department of Health (DOH) projects, including so-called “haunted” super health centers, structures that remain idle despite being built.
During the Senate Finance Committee’s hearing on the DOH’s proposed 2025 budget, Gatchalian cited a 2024 Commission on Audit (COA) report showing 123 projects worth P11.54 billion were not completed within their contract timelines.
He cited DOH data showing that of the 1,099 super health centers planned from 2021 to 2024, 319, costing around P3 billion, remain unfinished or non-operational.
“We will not allow haunted super health centers or unfinished projects to happen again. Everything under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program must be completed. Sayang ang pera, we’re talking about P15 billion,” the chairperson of the Senate finance panel said.
To prevent future delays and waste, Gatchalian proposed a shared-responsibility model where the DOH and local governments co-fund and co-manage health facility construction and operations.IMT
