Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. joined the groundbreaking of the P10.5 million Primary Birthing Center in San Enrique today, July 16, 2026.
Funded by the Department of Health (DOH) through the World Bank-assisted Health System Resilience Project (HSRP), the two-storey facility is designed to strengthen local healthcare.
DOH VI Regional Director Dr. Mar Wynn Bello highlighted that Iloilo is the sole recipient province in Western Visayas to be included in this project, and the San Enrique site is the very first nationwide to break ground.
Iloilo is one of the 17 pilot provinces selected across the country for the HSRP.
The facility aims to build a more resilient health network for Ilonggos, with a specific focus on protecting pregnant women and reducing maternal mortality rates.
Beyond the new birthing center, Dr. Bello announced that more health-related projects are lined up for Iloilo. These include the deployment of sea ambulances and mobile clinics and assistance for the improvement of the province’s district and provincial hospitals.