THE Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital (DSPH) in Digos City and Gregorio Matas District Hospital (GMDH) in Kiblawan reported increased patient volumes, expanded diagnostic services and investments in medical equipment in the first eight months of 2026, as discussions on social media raised questions about hospital staffing, resources and whether the provincial hospital should be placed under the Department of Health (DOH).
The two hospitals, which serve patients in Davao del Sur, reported gains in selected service indicators and investments in equipment intended to improve diagnosis, treatment and patient care.
The provincial hospital maintains that transferring it to DOH management would not automatically resolve the hospital's challenges, arguing that improvements also depend on funding, staffing, infrastructure, licensing and compliance with service standards.
In a statement responding to public questions and criticism, the provincial hospital acknowledged that it continues to face challenges but said these should be addressed through sustained investments and improvements in hospital capacity and services.
“Dili usab kinahanglan mahimong DOH-operated ang DSPH aron makadawat og national government support (DSPH does not necessarily have to be a DOH-operated hospital to receive national support),” the statement said, adding that the Universal Health Care framework calls for cooperation among provincial governments, local government units (LGUs) and the DOH.
The hospital also urged the public not to use the institution as a platform for political attacks, saying it serves patients regardless of political affiliation.
Social media debate over hospital management
The discussion over DSPH's management has surfaced on different social media platforms, where users debated the hospital's budget, staffing, and the responsibilities of provincial and national governments.
Comments included calls for greater national government involvement and explanations that the provincial hospital and the Provincial Health Office are separate entities, with different functions.
Other commenters pointed to the distinction between the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), a DOH-run hospital in Davao City, and DSPH, which is owned and operated by the provincial government.
The issue also raises a broader question about the distinction between a hospital's management and its service classification.
DOH management differs from hospital classification
Under the Local Government Code of 1991, basic health services and provincial hospitals were among the functions devolved to local governments. The DOH, meanwhile, retains national health leadership, regulatory responsibilities, and the operation of its own hospitals.
The DOH's role is not limited to managing hospitals. It also licenses and regulates health facilities, provides technical assistance to LGUs, and supports national health programs.
Republic Act 11223, or the Universal Health Care Act, calls for the integration of local health systems into province-wide and city-wide health systems. It provides for coordination among the DOH, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, PhilHealth, and LGUs, with provincial and city health boards overseeing and coordinating local health services.
This means a provincial government hospital can receive national government assistance without necessarily being transferred to DOH management.
The hospital's management and its service capability are also separate matters, the law provides. A facility's classification depends on its licensed services, staffing, equipment, physical facilities, and compliance with DOH requirements. A change in management alone does not automatically upgrade a hospital's classification or expand its capacity.
DSPH is a 100-bed, Level 2, PhilHealth-accredited primary referral hospital founded in 1967.
More patients, procedures at provincial hospital
DSPH reported increases in several key services from January to August 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.
Based on figures provided by the hospital during the provincial government's Monday convocation recently, outpatient consultations increased from 22,470 to 26,842, a 19 percent rise. Emergency room visits grew from 16,693 to 17,137, while admissions increased from 6,074 to 6,444, or about 27 admissions daily during the 2026 period.
Surgeries rose by 46 percent, from 1,017 to 1,488, while laboratory tests increased from 92,719 to 101,098. Imaging procedures also grew by 12 percent, from 13,490 to 15,069.
The hospital reported that filled prescriptions nearly doubled, rising from 75,995 to 144,472, or a 90 percent increase. The proportion of unfilled prescriptions reportedly fell from 34.7 percent to 16.6 percent.
DSPH also said its outpatient turnaround time decreased from 180 minutes to 76 minutes, a reported 58 percent improvement.
The number of inpatients referred to other facilities fell from 41 to eight, an 80 percent decrease, the hospital reported.
Its logged 30-day readmission rate declined from 2.24 percent to 2.11 percent. The hospital also reported that its mortality rate fell from 9.70 percent in January to 7.15 percent in August.
Equipment purchases, national assistance
DSPH also reported that it used proceeds from a ₱100-million loan for medical equipment purchases, including a 64-slice computed tomography scanner with cardiac applications valued at ₱45 million, acquired on October 22, 2025.
Other purchases included two anesthesia machines with patient monitors worth ₱4 million each; mechanical ventilators for adult, pediatric, and neonatal patients; patient and cardiac monitors; digital radiography systems; operating room lights and tables; surgical suction machines; and an arterial blood gas monitoring machine.
A CD4 testing machine worth ₱2.37 million was also acquired on October 9, 2026.
The hospital separately listed equipment donated by the DOH to the provincial government, including a laparoscopic tower valued at ₱13.8 million, an ultrasound machine with fetal monitoring equipment worth ₱4.499 million, and centralized fetal and maternal telemetry worth ₱12.499 million. Other items included a defibrillator, electrocardiogram machines, and an arterial blood gas machine.
Additional equipment was procured by the local government, including laboratory equipment, laryngoscope sets, a blood bag collection monitor, a blood bag sealer, and hospital bed stretchers.
The acquisitions indicate that national assistance and local procurement can contribute to a provincial hospital's resources without necessarily changing its management structure.
DSPH also reported filing 11,103 PhilHealth claims from January 1 to August 31, 2026. It collected ₱191.9 million from PhilHealth against ₱206.36 million billed, equivalent to about 93 percent of the billed amount. The hospital reported a median payment period of 17 days and no denied claims in August, with its claims-return rate down to 5.6 percent.
In his speech, Chief of DSPH Dr. Jaime Marcelo Razo said the hospital's vision includes responsible planning, strengthening its services, and preparing for the needs of future generations.
"We know that challenges will continue, yet our commitment to the people of Davao del Sur remains firm. With the strong and decisive leadership of Governor Yvonne Roña Cagas, together with Vice Governor Marc Cagas, our provincial board members, and the entire provincial government, DSPH will prevail," he said.
"We will continue working together to turn these plans into better facilities and better care for every family who needs us today, for every generation who will depend on us tomorrow. We will keep moving forward holding the line," he ended.
Patient satisfaction, performance assessments
The hospital reported that its patient satisfaction rating increased from 96.8 percent to 99 percent, while the proportion of respondents who were very satisfied rose from 56.6 percent to 76.1 percent.
It also cited an outstanding Anti-Red Tape Authority rating each month and an average score of 4.75 out of five.
Written feedback praised nurses and other staff for attentive care, respectful treatment, and faster service. The hospital said eight in 10 written suggestions were expressions of thanks or praise.
In its reported DOH Green Viability Assessment, DSPH's score increased from 72.43, equivalent to two Green Stars in 2025, to 80.31, or three Green Stars, on September 10, 2026.
Its Integrated Hospital Operations and Management Program (iHOMP) validation score also rose from 75.30 percent in 2024 to 87 percent in 2025 and 88.55 percent in 2026. The hospital further reported qualifying for the 2026 DOH Hospital Star Awards for Level 2 hospitals.
Gregorio Matas District Hospital reports services
Meanwhile, GMDH in Kiblawan reported ₱965,175.97 in hospital income and ₱4,285,624.95 in PhilHealth income from January to August 2026. It also reported utilizing ₱467,857.60 in Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) funds.
Its Diagnostic Imaging Department recorded 1,167 patients from the municipality of Kiblawan and 144 patients from other municipalities, for a total of 1,311 patients during the eight-month period.
Calls for accountability and sustained investment
The provincial hospital said public questions, constructive criticisms, and accountability are welcome, while insisting that improvements should focus on staffing, facilities, equipment, and the quality of patient care.
The debate over DOH management ultimately requires more than a comparison of institutional labels. However, for patients, the central question remains whether the hospitals can provide timely, safe, and affordable care close to home, regardless of which level of government manages them. PR