08/10/2026
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๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ | ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฌ, ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฅ
Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) acknowledges the concerns raised regarding patient watchers and companions who may be seen staying in areas outside the Medical Center.
We understand that hospitalization can be a difficult and stressful experience for patients and their families. We also recognize the challenges faced by families who travel from different parts of Cebu and neighboring provinces to seek medical care at VSMMC.
As a national government hospital under the Department of Health, VSMMC continues to implement measures that balance the needs of patients and their families with the requirements of patient safety, security, infection prevention and control, and the orderly delivery of healthcare services.
๐. ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ณ๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ก๐๐ซ
In accordance with ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐จ. ๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐, ๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐
๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ก๐๐ซโ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ, ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ณ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ญ๐๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฒ. This means that only the duly screened and authorized watcher may remain at the patient's bedside.
This policy is particularly important as VSMMC continues to attend to an increasing number of patients and referrals, placing considerable demands on our hospital's limited spaces and resources. Limiting the number of people inside patient care areas helps prevent overcrowding and allows our healthcare workers to provide safe, efficient, and uninterrupted care to patients.
๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ค ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ง๐-๐ฐ๐๐ญ๐๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฌ, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฎ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ.
๐. ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐๐ซ
VSMMC also recognizes that the implementation of the watcher policy may create challenges for families who have no immediate place to stay while their loved ones are confined.
In previous initiatives, ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ ๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ญ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ. At the time, buses were deployed to transport eligible watchers to designated transient housing facilities and bring them back to the Medical Center during the appropriate visiting or caregiving period.
However, the arrangement was eventually discontinued after some patient watchers and companions stopped utilizing the temporary accommodation and the scheduled transportation service, resulting in decreased participation and utilization of the initiative. Despite this, VSMMC remains open to coordinating with appropriate government and community partners to explore sustainable and workable options for patient watchers and companions, particularly for those who genuinely need temporary accommodation.
๐. ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ก๐๐ซ
We would also like to clarify that not all individuals seen staying around the vicinity of the Medical Center are patient watchers or companions. Some may be individuals experiencing homelessness or persons without stable housing, who may have sought temporary refuge in the area for reasons unrelated to the hospitalization of a patient.
As a healthcare institution, VSMMC remains mindful of the dignity and circumstances of every person in and around our premises. At the same time, concerns involving individuals who are not patients or authorized watchers require coordination with the appropriate social welfare, local government, and other concerned agencies.
๐. ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ -๐๐๐ซ๐ฆ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐ญ
Importantly, VSMMC is also undertaking a long-term infrastructure solution to help address the need for appropriate spaces for patient companions.
The ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ง๐๐ฐ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ง๐ , ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ญ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ฆ (๐๐). This facility is envisioned to provide a safer and more appropriate space for those who need to remain near their loved ones while awaiting or supporting their care.
While this facility is a significant step toward addressing the needs of patient watchers and companions, ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ณ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ, ๐๐ฒ ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐, ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐๐ญ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฌ, ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ฐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฏ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ.
๐. ๐๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ
VSMMC likewise encourages families and the public to seek and verify information through the Medical Center's official communication channels before sharing or posting information concerning hospital policies, services, or operations. We appeal for everyoneโs cooperation in ensuring that information shared with the public is accurate, complete, and presented within its proper context, as misinformation may lead to misunderstanding, unnecessary concern, and unfair perceptions of the institution and its healthcare workers.
We also respectfully appeal to everyone to exercise sensitivity and responsibility when documenting or sharing situations within or around the hospital, particularly when patients, families, watchers, and healthcare workers may be involved. The hospital is a place of care, where the privacy, dignity, and welfare of patients and their families should remain paramount.
We ask that the experiences and circumstances of patients and their families not be reduced to social media content for purposes unrelated to patient welfare or public information. We welcome legitimate public concerns and constructive dialogue, and we remain committed to addressing issues through proper and responsible channels.
๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฒ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฅโ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ฅ, ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ.
Our commitment remains the same: ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐, ๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ง๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ, ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ, ๐ฐ๐๐ญ๐๐ก๐๐ซ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐.
Daghang salamat sa inyong pagsabot, pagsalig, ug kooperasyon.
