TARLAC CITY, Tarlac (July 1, 2025) – The much-anticipated Tarlac City General Hospital won’t be fully operational until 2027, according to a joint assessment by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
This update came during a press conference held yesterday at the hospital site in Barangay Binauganan here, with DOH representative Maria Noel Lim and DPWH Engineer Lenin Cabalu.
Engineer Cabalu revealed that ₱1.135 billion has already been invested in the hospital project.
“This includes the original budget, funds from the LGU, and we still need a balance of ₱280 million to complete it,” Cabalu stated.
The DPWH engineer also said that the medical facility is being constructed by Northern Builders, the company owned by Victor Angeles, the spouse of the former mayor. The same company that built the P2 billion-plus Gymnatorium in Barangay Baras-baras.
Yap and members of the Tarlac media toured the unfinished three-story, 108-bed medical facility to assess its progress. The inspection only showed the hospital’s incompleteness, with the contractor window dressing the facade of the building for the obvious media mileage for erstwhile mayor Cristy Angeles.
Adding to the concerns, Councilor Joji David noted that the hospital has no budget allocated for manpower this year.
“Zero budget po. Wala lahat kahit na para sa OPD (Outpatient Department),” David said.
The councilor said that the proposed 2025 budget was vetoed by ex-mayor Cristy on her final day in office.
Yap said that it will be difficult to operate the hospital without any medical staff.
“Kung hindi po naisali (in the budget) ang mga nurses, doctors, attendants, med techs, paano na?” Yap said.
Despite these delays, Yap announced plans to coordinate with other government and private hospitals to accommodate patients requiring more extensive care.
“It’s crucial for the provincial and city governments to work together because where will we admit patients who need check-ups here and require admission? We will refer them to the Tarlac Provincial Hospital or the district hospitals,” Yap explained.
This news follows a June 5, 2025, event where Cristy unveiled plaques on the main building and prematurely announced the opening of the single-story Outpatient Department – but even this is in no condition to accommodate outpatients.
