MALOLOS, Bulacan—The historic province of Bulacan celebrated its 440th founding anniversary on Wednesday with pride and honor.
Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and a true-blooded Bulakenyo, was the guest speaker in the commemoration rites held in front of the newly-renovated Provincial Capitol building in this city.
Galvez joined provincial officials headed by Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado and Vice Governor Daniel R. Fernando, as well as the capitol employees and other Bulakenyos in the activity.
August 15 was declared a special non-working holiday in the province to give Bulakenyos time to remember and celebrate the importance of Bulacan Day.
“There’s no other way to go back but the town, the province you can call your own home because it is part of who we are. We are Bulakenyos and we are the children of the great province of Bulacan. Nobody else will defend and prosper it but we,” Alvarado said.
The celebration began with a Holy Mass at 8 a.m., followed by a flag-raising ceremony, oath to the national flag, and wreath-laying ceremony at the monument of Marcelo H. del Pilar.
Meanwhile, Dr. Jaime Veneracion, a writer, professor, and historian, discussed research on the date the province was established.
Also, the Bulacan Medical Center, formerly the Bulacan Provincial Hospital, is set for an expansion to sufficiently serve the province’s growing population.
Governor Sy-Alvarado, Vice Governor Fernando and Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque will lead the groundbreaking ceremony of the 200-bed capacity extension of the BMC on Thursday.
The newly renovated BMC, with a modern 22-bed capacity Intensive Care Unit and centralized nurses’ workstation, began serving Bulakenyos with critical medical conditions this year.
It also has optical coherence tomography (OCT) or “3D eye scan”, 40 hemodialysis machines, two units of CT scan, 2D echo, ultrasound, ENT and X-ray machines.
The BMC also has an Oncology Unit for cancer patients; Endoscopy Unit for patients with stomach problems; Luntiang Silong for HIV-positive patients; Programmatic Management Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Satellite Treatment Center (PMDT STC) for patients with tuberculosis; dental clinic; pharmacy; laboratory; Animal Bite Center; pediatrics; outpatient department; OB-Gyne; and Bulacan Provincial Blood Center.
“We are trying to give convenient experience to our people who are seeking care and treatment in our hospitals. That is why we continue adding facilities and equipment to meet the needs because we are not decreasing, Bulakenyos are increasing,” Alvarado said.
The provincial government of Bulacan, through the Bulacan Blood Council, will return the favor to voluntary blood donors and partners by recognizing their contribution in ensuring sustainable and accessible quality blood for all at all times.
At 10 a.m. on Thursday, the Blood Council will recognize individuals with four or more blood donations and facilities and municipalities with the highest blood collection.
The program is the culminating activity of the observance of National Blood Donor’s Month, which aims to build public awareness regarding the need for quality and safe blood, honor and recognize blood donors, and encourage regular blood donation both at the hospital and community level.