NAGA CITY, Philippines — The Naga City Government is pressing forward with its plan to drastically improve healthcare services for children with special needs and Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), despite earlier funding setbacks.
As part of its 2028 Finish Lines, the city has committed to strengthening its local health workforce to ensure that vital early and appropriate interventions are accessible to all, including young Nagueños.
Central to the city’s strategy is the hiring of highly specialized medical professionals in the 2026 budget, which includes a developmental pediatrician, a speech pathologist, and a rehabilitation doctor.
Mayor Leni Robredo said that these specialists are essential to treat children diagnosed with conditions like autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome, as well as those needing physical and occupational therapy.
“Hopefully sa January na pwede na ulit tayong mag-hire ng mga additional na tao at macorrect yang [shortage of doctors at the Naga City General Hospital], pero kailangan ayusin natin,” Mayor Robredo said in a recent press conference, emphasizing the commitment to quality, expert care.
To bridge the immediate gap, the Mayor has proposed a volunteer engagement with her sister-in-law, Dr. Penny Robredo-Bondoc, a rehabilitation doctor, to help expand rehabilitation and therapy services in the city hospital.
In a concrete move toward building a data-driven system, the city has already provided laptops to its Community-Based Rehabilitation Specialists (CBRS).
This equipment will allow the CBRS to create a comprehensive profiling system—a crucial database for evidence-based planning and delivering targeted, specific support to every child and every PWD who needs it.
The mayor concluded by stating that with commitment and collaboration, Naga will continue its move toward becoming a more inclusive and child-friendly city.
“Hopefully for 2026, yung mga special therapists na kinakailanganーhindi lang ng mga bata pati Persons With Disabilitiesーmagkaroon na,” Robredo added as she vowed to institutionalize community-based rehabilitation. | via Maida Boragay
