POE VOWS TO FIX EASTERN SAMAR HOSPITAL

Reiterating her commitment to health, Sen. Grace Poe today vowed to infuse resources into the Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital to help the facility address the health needs of one of the poorest provinces in the country.

Poe, who continues to lead pre-election surveys as the voters' choice for president, brought her campaign for "Gobyernong may Puso" to Borongan, Samar Thursday morning, where she visited the public market and public hospital.

"Galing lamang ako sa inyong provincial hospital at nakita ko kung gaano kadami ang kailangang gawin ng gobyerno para maayos ang serbisyo sa ating mga ospital," Poe said.

"Kapag merong nagkakasakit, kapag malala ang sakit hindi na maihahabol pa sa malalayong lugar; dapat dito mismo sa inyong ospital ay mabigyan sila ng lunas agad. Dapat may gamot dahil may mga ibang gamot na wala dito," she said.

Eastern Samar is the 16th poorest province in the country, according to the 2015 survey of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released last month. Four of 10 people in the province are living below the poverty line.

Poe said she went to Borongan, which has a relatively small population of voters, because she remembers it as one of the places that welcomed her father, the late movie icon Fernando Poe Jr., when he ran for president in 2004.

"Ang aking tatay 'nung pumunta dito, sabi nila, talagang naglabasan lahat ng tao at punong-puno ang lugar kung saan siya ay nagsalita. Bihirang may pumunta dito noon pero si FPJ ay pumunta dito. Alam niyo kung bakit? Sapagkat ang inyong probinsiya ay patuloy pa ring maraming naghihirap dito," she said.

"Kung ako ay magiging pangulo, hindi papabayaan ang Borongan. Dadami ang trabaho dito; aayusin natin ang ospital; at bibigyan natin ng mas maraming proyekto ang inyong probinsya," the senator promised.

In an interview with media following her hospital visit, Poe was asked whether she believes she has a chance of convincing Eastern Samar's 300,819 registered voters to support her.

"Ang importante naman po ay kung anong gusto ng tao. Kaya naman kami'y umiikot dahil hindi naman hawak ng iilang tao lamang ang damdamin ng mga botante," Poe said.

"Nakita natin patuloy pa rin ang paghihirap. Balewala ang partido. Dapat isang leader na may malasakit," she said.