“Nag start na po sila” (They have started), Dr. Elsa Rebustillo Tan, the Rural Health Dentist of Bulan, Sorsogon stated in her message to the Foundation . This was her reply to our query asking for updates on the construction of the charity dental clinic at her hometown.
Finally, after several months of “going through bureaucracy”, construction has started.
The clinic has been “going through the process” since May of this year when the project, at the initiative of former residents of Bulan, Romeo and Elisa Gimao, was first brought to the attention of Dentistry For Every Village Foundation. After careful deliberations, including the “determination for need” the Foundation Board approved the project. They then presented it to the Bulan local government through Judge Maliz Guan Aragon, a friend of the couple and a respected member of the Municipality.
As per the proposals, the Local Government Unit (LGU) will provide the space for the clinic and pay for all the remodeling expenses at the Rural Health Unit 2 to accommodate the floor plan provided by the design staff of the Dentistry For Every Village Foundation. (D4EVF). The LGU will also manage and maintain the clinic plus provide a dentist to man it. The Foundation will provide all the equipment, instruments and start up supplies.
The proposals were ratified by the municipal leadership headed by Mayor Romeo Gordola pending certain requirements that are normal in LGU projects.
The next step was to present the D4EVF design to the Municipal Engineering Office headed by Engineer Toby Gonzales. The office converted the concept design of D4EVF into an architectural plan for the contractor to follow as well as the Program of Works to create a budget proposal.
Since there was no specific budget for the project, owing to the fact the LGU budget was already approved and allotted early in 2024 when the project was not even conceived, the task of seeking resources to fund the project fell in the hands of the City Administrator, Atty. Moiselle Magdamit.
The good lawyer was up to the task!
First, he went looking where he can tap for funds from existing LGU resources, a process that was relatively easy for him as being the City Administrator he was familiar with the inner workings of the LGU.
After identifying a plausible source, he drafted a Supplementary Budget Proposal and presented it to the Municipal Health Board for approval and support for funding. The Health Board readily backed the concept of building the clinic.
With that, Atty. Magdamit presented the proposal to the Health Committee at the Municipal Council for preliminary studies, approval and eventual referral to the full Council.
At the Council, it went through the customary “three readings” ( actual 3 separate days of floor debates to approve or disapprove a resolution) . With the support of the Municipal Council President, Vice Mayor Chezka Robles, the resolution was given a green light.
The approval was smooth as the Municipal Council readily realized that a fully equipped dental clinic was for the good of the Municipality. Moreover, the LGU need not have to fund the expensive dental equipment and instruments. They are being provided by the D4EVF.
But the approval of the full council was not the end of the very long process. It merely made it a little easier.
The next step was for Municipal Budget Advisory Committee approval of a resolution known as Purchase Request to fund the construction.
To expedite the process, the resolution was converted into an Obligation Request to certify that funds are available. The document was certified indicating that funds are indeed available.
It was only then that a contractor was picked, and construction started, ending the seven months of the bureaucratic process.
The construction is set to be fully completed by February 10, 2025, to give the Foundation time to install all equipment and set the office for its opening and blessing on February 20, 2025.
However, given the Christmas Holidays that traditionality slows down the whole country to a grind, it would not be a major surprise if the dates are not met.
But, the Foundation staff, ever the optimists are hoping for the best!
The Dentistry for Every Village Foundation, Inc., raises funds by seeking grants and donations to build dental clinics. These clinics are donated to health care institutions that have the resources to house the facility, experiences and expertise to run them efficiently, and whose management is supportive of the cause.
